2011 Holiday Guide: Apps for iPad, iPhones and iPod Touch

"All Kinds of Santas" photo by Paula Slade

This is the ninth installment of this series that provides numerous entertainment options for holiday gift giving for children and teens, and today we turn our attention to one of the hottest emerging categories for entertainment- applications (also known as “apps”) for iPads, iPod Touch and iPhones.

Children and teens are rapidly embracing these new technologies and there are numerous apps provided for entertainment, many of them extremely affordable, once you determine the choice of your technology device.

The applications for the devices appear below and have been researched for quality as well as value. All are geared to provide hours of positive and fun-filled entertainment.

If you happened to have missed earlier posts to this series, which began in November, links are provided in the right hand column on this page. Also, be sure to check out archived posts from this year and last year, as many products, in multiple categories, have been featured.

As always, you are the best judge of what is appropriate for your child’s entertainment.

The Night Before Christmas

Based on the 5-star book and recording published by Imagine Books, this recently released app is a totally charming interactive and musical re-telling of the all-time favorite holiday tale by Clement C. Moore.

The Night Before Christmas includes magnificent illustrations by Eric Puybaret; narration, music and sounds by Peter Paul and Mary, and interactive magic added by Touchoo.

This app has numerous functions: Auto Play; record; listen to the recording; read to me and read by myself, along with pages that spring to life with touchable surprises.

Below is a video preview of The Night Before Christmas, which is compatible with Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.2 or later.

Additional information, and screenshots, for The Night Before Christmas are available through iTunes where the app is priced at $1.99.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

From Loud Crow Interactive, comes a true classic translated into an interactive storybook delight.

The whole family will have fun with the entire Peanuts gang as they discover the true meaning of Christmas.

You’ll be able to unlock decorations for a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree; play Schroeder's piano; finger-paint with Peanuts characters and more, while you listen to the story, which is narrated by Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown.

Below is a video preview of A Charlie Brown Christmas, which is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and requires iOS 3.2.2 or later.

Additional information, screenshots, and reviews for A Charlie Brown Christmas are available through iTunes where the app is priced at $6.99.

There’s No Place Like Space!: All About Our Solar System

From Oceanhouse Media, Inc. and The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, comes an app that not only entertains but educates young ones.

The “Cat in the Hat” is your child’s guide as he takes “Sally” and “Dick” on a voyage through our solar system. Along the way, kids will learn fascinating and fun facts; interact by tapping on stars to see constellations; learn about the planets and more.

This app is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.0 or later.

Additional information, screenshots, and reviews for There’s No Place Like Space! : All About Our Solar System is available through iTunes where the app is priced at $5.99.

A Duck in New York City

Kids will have a great time, reading, listening, watching and singing along with this excellent app for iPad.

A Duck in New York City app is based on the critically acclaimed Parents' Choice Gold Award-winning storybook - music CD by author/singer/songwriter Connie Kaldor, illustrated by Fil & Julie, and published by The Secret Mountain.

The story is about a little duck from the prairie that has a big dream—making it to New York City and doing his ducky dance on Broadway.

Filled with stunning illustrations, sophisticated animation, superb musical performance and captivating narration, this is a heartwarming and funny tale about self-esteem and following your dreams.

Below is a preview of A Duck in New York City, which is compatible with iPad, and requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Additional information as well as screen shots for A Duck in New York City is available through iTunes where the app is priced at $3.99.

Let's Go Chipper - Nature and Environmental Movies, Books and Activities

From IAGmedia, a conscientious green media company that playfully delivers content and programs that instill positive life skills and respect for the environment in young children, comes adventures in nature with Chipper, the ambassador of the great outdoors.

Chipper playfully teaches good character, and a love for animals and the environment in this all-inclusive portal to the parks filled with coloring activities, nature-inspired movies, books, music videos, activities and more.

No in-app purchases are required, plus you get a free gift with download. 

Honored as an I-Parenting "Hot Product" winner, and a Disney Family Fun winner, this app is educational and fun, encompassing academic standards in Science, Arts, Literature, and Social Skills.

Chipper and friends sing songs, tell stories, and provide games that help foster the social and emotional growth of young children - playfully. 

To learn more about Let's Go Chipper! Into the Great Outdoors series, please visit www.letsgochipper.com.

The app is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.1 or later.

Additional information as well as screen shots for Lets Go Chipper is available through iTunes where the app is priced at $0.99.

Not Without Bear

This is an absolutely endearing story about a little girl,”Audrey” and her best friend “Bear,” who goes missing at bedtime.

This app, published by appropo llc, is sure to become a bedtime favorite.

Children will listen to the story or have it read to them; they’ll be able to move pillows; travel around the world; open cupboards, smooth blankets, listen to music and so much more –all enhanced with sound effects and the ability to touch words and hear them spoken.

Based on Anna Grossnickle Hines charming picture book, this app is a delight.

Check out the animated screen shots at: http://www.appropo.co/appropo/home.html

This app is compatible with iPad and requires iOS 3.2 or later.

Additional information as well as screen shots for Not Without Bear is available through iTunes where the app is priced at $3.99.

NASA App HD by NASA Ames Research Center

This is a totally FREE app from NASA for iPad, sure to be treasured by teens who are interested in science and astronomy. They will be amazed at the number of features in this app- everything from live-streaming of NASA TV and launch information as well as countdown clocks to ISS and an Earth Orbiting Satellite Tracker, plus Facebook® Connect and Integrated Twitter™ for sharing.

The app is compatible with iPad, and a WiFi or 3G network connection, and needs iOS 4.3 or later.

The application collects, customizes and delivers an extensive selection of dynamically updated mission information, images, videos and Twitter feeds from various online NASA sources in a convenient mobile package.

The video below of the NASA App HD will show you the wealth of NASA information available for your teen’s iPad.

To download FREE, visit iTunes.

A Present for Milo: A Touch-and-Surprise Storybook

From Ruckus Media Group comes an app that provides more than 80 tap-interactive objects that initiate more than 125 animations.

This charming digital storybook provides narration, sound effects, music, read-along function, and surprises on every page that will provide hours of enjoyment for active little minds and busy fingers.

A Present for Milo has been honored with About.com's "2011 Readers' Choice Award for 'Best App for Kids’"; a Parents' Choice Award Winner: Mobile Apps; a “Best Apps Ever Award" Finalist (from 148apps.com) and a " Mom's Choice Award for "App and Software."

Below is a video preview of A Present for Milo, which is compatible with iPad, and requires iOS 3.2 or later.

Additional information as well as screen shots for A Present for Milo is available through iTunes where the app is priced at $3.99.

Everyone loves a birthday party: Kids celebrate with ‘Chipper’

During the remainder of October, in addition to Halloween fun, parents, children and caregivers have an opportunity to celebrate nature and the environment with ”Chipper,” the squirrel who is known as the “eco-educational ambassador of the great outdoors. “

Chipper is also celebrating his fifth birthday this month, and he’s inviting families for games and activities that help reinforce the positive messages, which are consistently delivered in the Let’s Go Chipper series of apps, books, movies and community programs.

Below is Chipper’s special invitation to visit his website at www.letsgochipper.com , as well as a cute video to share with the kids in your life.

The Book Report: Sharing the best in books, apps and literary marketplace news

'Books' photo by Paula Slade

With the opening of San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, July 21, 2011, the annual event is expected to draw upwards of 150,000 attendees, and this week’s ‘Book Report’ introduces you to a comic book for early readers and an extraordinary comic book collection, both items from Toon Books, which help spark an interest in reading for children and teens who are reluctant readers, while providing a great deal of entertainment.

BOOKS

Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! By Geffrey Hayes

This Theodor Suess Geisel Award-winning book combines charming illustrations, solid dialogue and easy to follow panels in a story that many children will readily identify with. 

Lessons about friendship, jumping to conclusions, and how important it is to apologize when you’re wrong are presented in a non-preachy fashion by two adorable mice siblings and their neighbor, a little mole.

Presented in a hardcover edition, this 32-page Toon book is perfect for age’s four to eight.

To peek inside this book, and read editorial and customer reviews simply follow this link to Amazon.com.

Amazon Marketplace currently provides best available pricing at $7.22.

The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics

Art Spiegelman and FranCoise Mouly (Editors) with an introduction by Jon Sciezka

This is a superb 352-page collection of the greatest children’s comics spanning 40 years – all classics that have entertained generations.

These are full comic books, not strips, and they exhibit exceptional artwork and stories from the Golden Age of cartooning  from such masters as Sheldon Mayer, Carl Barks and  Basil Wolverton to name a few.

Readers will find everything from Little Archie to Little Lulu, Donald Duck to Dennis the Menace – 67 stories presented in five categories, spanning everything from kids and funny animals, to the wacky and weird.

To see more graphics from this collection, and read editorial and customer reviews simply follow this link to Amazon.com.

Amazon Marketplace currently provides best available pricing at $21.14.

On September 10, 2009, Art Spiegelman and FranCoise Mouly, who are considered foremost authorities in the field of comics and children’s graphic novels, sat down with WNYC’s Leonard Lopate, to discuss the making of this landmark collection. Below is a video of that interview.

For additional information on the entire Toon Book collection, a line of hardcover comics that offers many choices for different reading levels, simply link to http://www.toon-books.com/

The Book Report: Sharing the best in books, apps and literary marketplace news

"Books" photo by Paula Slade

Something old, something new; never borrowed, never blue – today’s “Book Report” looks at classic bedtime stories, a 21^st Century app, and exciting news about a new blog from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

 

NEWS

Making Art with Children: New Blog from the Carle’s Art Studio

Courtesy The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts not only houses an extensive and ever-changing collection of picture book art, but provides free art studio workshops and classes with their standard museum admission. Taught by Carle staff or professional/visiting artists the art studio is designed “to foster imagination and critical thinking through hands-on work with materials.” 

Now this same professional expertise is being shared online at the Carle’s new blog, Making Art with Children.

Parents and caregivers will enjoy interesting and helpful posts by Museum educators Meghan Burch and Diana Mac Kenzie as well as news about upcoming Museum activities. 

By following this link to one of their recent posts, you’ll find a step-by-step process for recycling used crayon pieces and providing them a new life to be used by little hands. You’ll also be able to download the how-to instructions for this project and sign up for their RSS feed to keep up to date with all of their posts.

For more information about visiting the Museum, call 413-658-1100 or surf into the Museum’s website at www.carlemuseum.org.    

BOOKS

The Going-To-Bed Book (Board Book) by Sandra Boynton

When it comes to engaging and entertaining children, Sandra Boynton has a gilded touch with her simple, cleverly constructed rhymes, charming animal characters and knack for storytelling.

Originally published in 1982 this classic board book never fails to delight and help with sleepy-time wind downs for babies and preschoolers.

Additional information and reviews are available at Amazon.com, with best pricing for the board book through Amazon Marketplace starting at $2.00.

Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book (Hardcover)

First published in 1962, this timeless tale is guaranteed to make the smallest to the tallest readers sleepy; it’s a true Theodor Geisel classic abounding with his crafty rhyming signature storytelling and quirky character illustrations.

Additional glimpses inside of Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book and customer reviews are available at Amazon.com, with best pricing through Amazon Marketplace starting at $7.09 for this hardcover edition.

Time for Bed (Board Book)

Easy-to read rhyming couplets by Mem Fox, and Jane Dyer’s dreamy delicate watercolor renderings provide the perfect comforting bedtime story about animals being tucked in for the night by their mothers - a true parent-child bedtime bonding.

First published in 1997 this has been a classic favorite for children ages 2-7.

Amazon.com has additional glimpses inside Time for Bed along with product details and customer reviews.

Currently, best-researched price available is through Amazon Marketplace beginning at $2.92.

APPS

Nighty Night! HD

  

By Shape Minds and Moving Images GmbH

This is absolutely one of the sweetest and beautifully visual bedtime tales being offered as an app for iPhone and iPad. (Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 3.2 or later.)

Nighty Night! HD, a Children’s Technology Review Editor’s Choice Award Winner is wonderfully crafted, combining interactivity, animation and professionally narrated storytelling for children aged 1-4 years.

Created by Heidi Wittlinger (2002 Oscar Nominee Best Animated Short) Nighty Night! HD’s 2D illustration and inviting animation prompts children to gently interact with seven different farm animals as they all get ready to go to sleep.

The app also includes melodic lullaby music and an auto play function.

To view additional Nighty Night HD screen shots and read other customer reviews, visit the Nighty Night HD page at iTunes where the app is available for $1.99. The video below will also give you a good glimpse of this very special app.

The Book Report: Sharing the latest in books, apps and literary marketplace news

'Books' by Paula Slade

Today’s edition of “The Book Report” focuses on a charming book and CD about a duck in New York, and a newly released app that features a delightful opera-singing hippo. We also highlight this week’s upcoming author visit to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

EVENTS

Talking About Words and Pictures with Barry Moser

Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

125 West Bay Road, Amherst, Massachusetts 01001

FREE event with regular museum admission

Barry Moser visits the Carle for a conversation about his life, career and his books. A book signing with Mr. Mosner will follow this event.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES FROM THE CARLE:

“The books Moser has illustrated and/or designed forms a list of over three hundred titles. That list includes the Arion Press Moby-Dick and the University of California Press The Divine Comedy of Dante. Moser's edition of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, won the National Book Award for design and illustration in 1983 and prompted the poet John Ashbery writing in NEWSWEEK (March 1, 1982), to call Moser's work “never less than dazzling.”

In addition to being an illustrator, Barry Moser is also a printer, painter, printmaker, designer, author, essayist, and teacher. His work is represented in numerous collections, museums, and libraries in the United States and abroad, including The National Gallery of Art, Washington, The Metropolitan Museum, The British Museum and The Library of Congress, to name a few.

Mr. Moser lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, two English mastiffs and four cats. He has three grown daughters and nine grandchildren.”

For event details: Email: info@carlemuseum.org |www.carlemuseum.org or Phone: (413) 658-1100 | Fax: (413) 658-1139

BOOKS

Un pato en Nueva York

This book is a charming adaptation and translation to Spanish from author/songwriter Connie Kaldor’s Parents’ Choice and Juno Award-winning Book and CD, A Duck in New York City.

Produced by The Secret Mountain, a high quality Montreal based publisher of children’s picture books, videos and music, Un pato en Nueva York is the tale of a little duck from the heartland who has a big dream – to dance his little ducky feet on a Broadway stage.

The book is delightfully illustrated by Fil & Juli; expertly translated by noted Cuban author Yanitzia Canetti, and includes narration and vocals for the CD by Ines Canepa.

You can preview and download all 13 MP3 tracks through The Secret Mountain where the tracks are available for $1.25 CDN each. There is also window on the same listening page that provides a link to view the entire book online before purchasing. Both book and CD are offered for $22.95 CDN.

APPS

Hildegard Sings

First introduced in 1993 as a delightful children’s book by Thomas Wharton, Hildegard Sings is the tale of one very voluptuous hippo, Hildegard Rhineheffer whose dreams of stardom as an opera singer are as endearing as her quest to overcome stage fright when fate provides her a big break

Beautifully illustrated with bright watercolors, this app engages and charms.

Produced by One Hundred Robots, the app is compatible with iPad, iPod and iPhone and requires iOS 4.0 or later. It has 28 interactive features including read- to-me or read-to-myself options, spoofs of famous opera classics, an opera glossary, navigation map, matching game and much more.

The video below gives a bit of a preview of Hildegard Sings. To view more screenshots and check out product reviews or for ordering, visit the Hildegard Sings iTunes page where the app is specially priced for only $1.99.

The Book Report: Sharing the latest in books, apps and literary marketplace news

"Books" by Paula Slade

This week’s “Book Report” covers a meet and greet with a best-selling children’s author, laureate honors for a beloved British author, and a new children’s app that promises to be a favorite.

EVENTS

Gallery Tour and Book Signing with Tomi Ungerer

The Eric Carl Museum of Picture Book Art

Sunday, June 19, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.

125 West Bay Road, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002

Event notes from the Carle:

“A trilingual author, Ungerer has published over 140 books ranging from his much loved children’s books to his controversial adult work. Selected from archives and private collections, the exhibition documents the bulk of Ungerer’s career as a writer and illustrator of children’s books. Included in the exhibition, among others, will be examples from Ungerer’s first book, The Mellops Go Flying (1957), as well as The Three Robbers (1962) and Moon Man (1967). Come meet the author and hear about the stories behind the artwork.”

In addition, there will be screenings of Ungerer films, courtesy of the Weston Woods Studios.

This event is FREE with standard museum admission.

For further information phone: (413) 658-1100 or Fax (413) 658-1139

Email: info@carlemuseum.org. or visit their website at www.carlemuseum.org.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Julia Donaldson began her creative career as a songwriter, and performer, who has gone on to produce more than 120 books and plays for children worldwide, and most recently has been appointed Waterstone’s 2011-13 Children’s Laureate.

Noted for her clever and endearing rhyming books, (most notably her international bestseller The Gruffalo) Donaldson was not only honored with the laureate designation and a medal, but was recipient of a £15,000 award.

Although she has ventured into books that are not based in rhyme, her passion for verse will be her focus during her laureate tenure.

Below is a video of the making of the animated version of The Gruffalo, which was Oscar nominated for 2011 Best Short Film: Animation at the 83^rd annual Academy Awards.

APPS

Olivia Acts Out By Polin8, LLC

Based on Ian Falconer’s Caldecott Honor-winning book, everyone’s favorite little literary pig and popular Nickelodeon television character, “Olivia,” now comes to life on the iPad.

Olivia Acts Out, is a charming 3D tale that includes more than 30 intuitively interactive touch animations, special effects and professional narration.

A delightful addition to a preschooler or youngster’s eBook library, and priced at $4.99 at iTunes.

The Book Report: Sharing the latest in books, apps and literary marketplace news

"Books" by Paula Slade

Welcome to another edition of “The Book Report.” This weekly column is dedicated solely to the best in books, apps, audio and video adaptations, technology updates as well as literary news and events. Like our sister columns, “If it’s Tuesday it must be toys and tours,” Thursday’s “Musical Notes” and Friday’s “Popcorn Report,” which respectively features the information on toys and travel, music, and movies, this weekly post highlights the important world of literature as positive entertainment for children and teens. Be sure to check back each Wednesday.

NEWS

Barnes and Noble unveils the new Nook

The battle of the eReaders has just been upped with Barnes & Noble’s introduction of the latest version of the Nook that features “Easiest to use 6 touchscreen ; most advanced E-Ink display, crisp text, even in bright sun ; longest battery life- read up to 2 months on just 1 charge; ultra-light and thin -under 8 ounces; largest bookstore with more than 2 million titles (get them in seconds) and expert recommendations and fun social features.”

The new Nook costs $139 and is now on sale to order on the Barnes & Noble website, and best of all it will ship June 10th, 2011 – just in time for Father’s Day.

This comes on the heels of Amazon.com’s announcement last week that they are now selling more e-books than print books. Let the games begin.

EVENTS

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

The Bric-a-Brac Theatre Company presents Daddy, What if…The Poetry and Songs of Shel Silverstein

“Shel Silverstein’s best known and beloved poems and songs, which have already captivated at least two generations of children and their parents and are to be shared with the newest generation. The performance will invite and encourage active participations by the audience.”

FREE with museum admission

125 West Bay Road, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002

Saturday, May 28 and Sunday May 29, 2011

Phone: (413) 658-1100/ Fax (413) 658-1139

Email: info@carlemuseum.org |www.carlemuseum.org

APPS

Disney’s Cars Lightning Was Here: My Puzzle Book

With the June 24, 2011 launch of the new Disney-Pixar Cars 2 feature, children will enjoy seeing the original cast of characters come to life in this story app that takes fans of the franchise on a tour of Radiator Springs.

The app provides a professional narration track, the option for parents to record their own voice reading the story, plus interactive puzzles and sound effects.

The video below provides a preview of Cars Lightning Was Here: My Puzzle Book.
This app is available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad for only $0.99 through the iTunes store.

BOOKS

Because I Said So!

By: Keller Williams

Popular musician, Keller Williams has crossed over into the world of children’s music with his sixteenth album, Kids, and on the heels of that CD comes his first children’s book based on the lyrics of one of the album’s catchy tunes, “Because I Said So!”

                                                                                                         

From Fun Read Publishing, Because I Said So!, is a humorously illustrated version of the song, translated with child-like vision by noted Virginia based artist, Bill Harris.

“Told through the eyes of 'Lil Keller', the moral of the story is that you can't always get what you want and there isn't always a good reason why. “ Everything from having a pet alligator to a real airplane are all part of a child’s inner world of imaginative “wants” and these are handled well in this fun 33-page read.

Both the book and a CD of the song are available direct from the artist’s website for $20. Recommended reading level ages 2-8.

DVD

THE NORTH STAR… AND MORE STORIES ABOUT FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

Produced by: The award-winning Weston Woods Studios for Scholastic Storybook Treasures

Just released, THE NORTH STAR is a truly inspirational collection of entertaining children’s books that are suitable for all ages and have won such prestigious awards as: Caldecott Honor, Smithsonian Notable Book, Parents’ Choice Award, Storytelling World Award, and ALA Notable Video.

This compilation of stories, which visually come to life instills the all-important themes of cooperation; friendship; problem solving and believing in the journey that one takes in life in order to capture their dreams.

The 57-minute collection plus extras includes an interview with That Book Woman author Heather Henson and illustrator David Small plus a Read-along. 

Included in this offering are the following stories listed below. (Production notes provided by distributor New Video, where the DVD carries a Suggested Retail Price of $14.95 US or $16.95 CAN) but may be ordered with best pricing through Amazon.com for $10.99 or Amazon Marketplace for $8.52.)

To explore each of the titles further in depth, simply click on links below to the original books, which are also offered through Amazon.com.

“THE NORTH STAR (Written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, narrated by Tim Curry) In this classic storybook about lifelong learning, children of all ages will be inspired to navigate their full potential and follow their dreams.


THAT BOOK WOMAN (By Heather Henson, illustrated by David Small, narrated by Walker Harrison) This is the moving story of the Pack Horse Librarians, whose bravery and commitment helped rural children find something wonderful in books.


PLAYERS IN PIGTAILS (By Shana Corey, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon, narrated by Zooey Deschanel) One brave girl proves that she’s in a league of her own as she strives to become a player in the first-ever All-American Girls Professional Baseball league.


YO! YES? (Written and illustrated by Chris Raschka) Two lonely boys who don’t know each other meet on a city street with a simple greeting in this heart-warming tale of friendship and cooperation.


SWAMP ANGEL (By Anne Isaacs, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, narrated by Alison Moorer) Angelica, or “Swamp Angel,” the greatest woodswoman in Tennessee, takes on a huge ravenous bear known as Thundering Tarnation. Can she tackle this beast?”

The Book Report: Sharing the latest in books, apps and literary marketplace news

Welcome to another edition of “The Book Report.” This weekly column is dedicated solely to the best in books, apps, audio and video adaptations, technology updates as well as literary news and events. Like our sister columns, “If it’s Tuesday it must be toys and tours,” Thursday’s “Musical Notes” and Friday’s “Popcorn Report,” which respectively features the information on toys and travel, music, and movies, this weekly post highlights the important world of literature as positive entertainment for children and teens. Be sure to check back each Wednesday.

NEWS

‘Scientific American’ Brings Science Home

All during the month of May, Scientific American, the ever-popular science magazine that is set to celebrate 166 years of providing topical and understandable scientific information to laymen and professionals, has initiated an online campaign that brings the world of scientific discovery to children, with their “Bring Science Home” initiative.

The goal of “Bring Science Home” is not only to inspire young people about science, but to help them connect with science through everyday activities that reinforce literacy for those all- important STEM educational concepts - science, technology, engineering and math. 

Each day, the Scientific American magazine’s website as well as their Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages, provides a different science (hands-on) activity that parents and children easily explore together utilizing common household items.

A wide range of topics covers everything from finding the DNA in a banana, to bending water with static electricity.

Take a look at the video below, which will show you how yeast “live and breathe.” It’s a fun and simple activity to share. 

AWARDS AND HONORS

J. Patrick Lewis Designated Children’s Poet Laureate

On Wednesday, May 11, 2011, prolific author/poet, J. Patrick Lewis, was honored and named Children’s Poet Laureate by The Poetry Foundation during a ceremony at the foundation’s headquarters in Chicago.

Lewis is now the third Children’s Poet Laureate, and follows such illustrious predecessors as Jack Prelutsky and Mary Ann Hoberman.

As part of his two-year tenure to help raise awareness of the importance of poetry in children’s lives, Lewis received a $25,000 cash award.

Lewis’ laureate activities will also include advising the Poetry Foundation on children’s literature, and two major public appearances for children, their families, teachers and librarians.

APPS

Pat the Bunny

Based on the beloved children’s picture book classic by Dorothy Kunhardt, comes a wonderful reinvention of Pat the Bunny for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Taking the original idea of engaging a toddler with interactivity, this new offering, after 70 years, provides 14 scenes for in-depth exploration by little hands. Children can pop bubbles, play hide and seek, make music and even look at themselves in a mirror.

There are three ways to read Pat the Bunny: Listen to narration and view the highlighted text; read each page at your own pace, or even record your own voice and play it back.

Pat the Bunny carries a special introductory price of $2.99 and may be ordered direct from the publisher, Random House Children’s Books.

A preview of Pat the Bunny is available in the video below.

VIDEO

Tikki Tikki Tembo…and more stories to celebrate Asian Heritage

It is a true art form when classic picture book stories come visually alive on DVD, and such is this rendering; another excellent production by Weston Woods Studios for Scholastic Storybook Treasures.

The 66-minute collection plus extras, presents six best selling stories that have consistently entertained children. Included in this offering are the following: (Production notes provided by distributor New Video, where the DVD may be ordered direct for $14.95 US or $16.95 CAN.

To explore each of the titles in depth, simply click on links to the original books offered through Amazon.com.

TIKKI TIKKI TEMBO (Written by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent) This Chinese folktale explains why great long names are no longer chosen for their children.


THE TALE OF THE MANDARIN DUCKS (Written by Katherine Paterson, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon, narrated by B. D. Wong) A compassionate couple risks their lives to reunite a pair of Mandarin ducks.


GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY (Written and illustrated by Allen Say, narrated by B. D. Wong) A touching story about Grandfather’s travels from Japan to the United States and back again.


THE STONECUTTER (Written and illustrated by Gerald McDermott) Tasaku is a lowly stonecutter who longs for more power in this Japanese folk tale.


LON PO PO: A RED-RIDING HOOD STORY FROM CHINA (Written and illustrated by Ed Young, narrated by B. D. Wong) This Asian version of the classic fairytale brings lessons about strangers, trust, and courage.


SAM AND THE LUCKY MONEY (Written by Karen Chinn, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, narrated by Ming-Na Wen) On Chinese New Year Sam meets a stranger who helps him make the perfect decision on how to spend his lucky money.