New Moon Girls Review

I find that the site is a well secure and thought provoking page for young girls who are looking to have a more cleaner environment of communication.  It is always supervised and the girls have fun building their network. I just love the art work of the pages, it colorful and full of life and splendor. Very girly!! For girls 8 - 12, with book reviews, quizzes, message boards to participate in, and once a month chats with famous people (supervised). It gives advise on different subjects, from beauty/your body, to different fun facts about the world. There are also games to play on the Game tab.
My daughter just love this site and have shared it with many of her friends. I give this site two thumbs up.

Putting Together a Child's Summer Reading List

                              
If you're looking for a summer reading list, you don't have to look far. Libraries have them, teachers have them, Oprah's got hers, the Times Book Review has theirs, and type it into your search engine and you'll find dozens more in a flash. This time of year, every parenting magazine and web site is churning out reading lists for kids; it's easy to spend lots of time reading lists without actually getting much reading done. In other words, all those great lists out there add up to something that's not necessarily helpful. What would be much more helpful is an individualized list, a list tailored specifically to your child's developmental stage, reading level and interests. That list, however, is nowhere to be found on the web. You have to create it yourself.
So how do you go about putting together such a list?
Here is our method:
1. Ask your child's teacher for specific recommendations. Don't just go by the list your school librarian hands out to everyone.  Ask a teacher who knows your child well for titles that are at just the right level.
2. Peruse a few published lists from trusted sources. We like the New York Public Library's well-edited lists: they have a good mix of classic and contemporary titles, and they are broken down sensibly by age group. We also stand by our own Savvy list of 100 Books to Read Before Kindergarten.
3. Use the Scholastic Book Wizard. This is a tool designed for teachers, but it's easily accessible to parents as well. You enter the title of a book that your child enjoys, and presto, you're presented with dozens more ideas that are at precisely the same level. Especially useful for beginning readers.
4. Look for topical titles. If you're heading to the beach, for instance, we've got a few beachy reads for you!
5. Pick a series. Summer gives you and your kids the time to delve into an absorbing series of picture books and/or chapter books. 
6. Ask your child, ask yourself. There may be topics your child wants to explore that you haven't thought of: insects perhaps, or every possible version of Rapunzel... who knows? And what about you? Are there any old favorites from your own childhood you want to share with your kids? 
Creating a summer book list for your child is a great way to keep you both motivated about reading, and as you check off the books you and your kids have read, you're creating a special record of the summer. So have fun putting it together and reading all those great titles with your kids, but one word of caution: don't let any list hem you in. If your child's reading veers off in another direction, wonderful! And if you're ever at a loss for ideas, you know you've got your kid's very own list at the ready.
One of the very favorite articles we've written here at The Savvy Source is 100 Things to Do Before Kindergarten. It captures all of the dreaming and hoping and planning that comes with parenting young children. It's a pre-elementary school life list of sorts. So we thought, wouldn't it be nice to have a book list, too?
Many of us at Savvy have children in elementary school by now, and these are the storybooks that have carried us through bedtimes, sick afternoons, and quiet moments on the couch. And our children still enjoy them...even in the older and wiser years of second grade. 
Here are 100 books to read before they move on to chapter books.
In no particular order....

1. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelsman
2. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
3. Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
4. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
5. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
6. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
7. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson
8. A Hole is to Dig by Ruth Krauss
9. The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
10. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
11. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
12. Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott
13. Eloise by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight
14. Olivia by Ian Falconer
15. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
16. Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
17. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
18. A House for a Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
19. The Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
20. The Best Word Book Ever by Richard Scarry
21. What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry
22. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
23. The Tale of Tom Kitten by Beatrix Potter
24. The Tale of Two Bad Mice by Beatrix Potter
25. Corduroy by Don Freeman
26. Fly High, Fly Low by Don Freeman
27. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
28. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
29. Wynken, Blynken, and Nod by Eugene Field and Johanna Westerman
30. The Original Mother Goose
31. The Maggie B. by Irene Haas
32. Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban
33. Amos and Boris by William Steig
34. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
35. Play With Me by Marie Hall Ets
36. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
37. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
38. Time for Bed by Mem Fox
39. The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear
40. A Child's Book of Poems by Gyo Fujikawa
41. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
42. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
43. Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
44. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
45. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
46. Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
47. George and Martha by James Marshall
48. Goldilocks and the Three Bears by James Marshall
49. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
50. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
51. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
52. Children Just Like Me by Anabel Kindersley and Barnabas Kindersley
53. People by Peter Spier
54. A Color of His Own by Leo Leonni
55. Swimmy by Leo Leonni
56. The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff
57. Curious George by H.A. Rey
58. Caps for Sale  by Esphyr Slobodkina
59. Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
60. A Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor
61. Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
62. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
63. The Little House  by Virginia Lee Burton
64. Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
65. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Tabach
66. There's a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer
67. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
68. Angus and the Ducks by Marjorie Flack
69. The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack
70. Count and See by Tana Hoban
71. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
72. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
73. Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
74. May I Bring a Friend? by Beni Montresor and Beatrice Schenk de Regniers
75. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
76. Are You My Mother? By P.D. Eastman
77. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
78. Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch
79. We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
80. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
81. Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone
82. The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
83. The Princess and the Pea by Lauren Child and Polly Borland
84. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
85. Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus and Jose Aruego
86. The Happy Lion by Louise Fatio and Roger Duvoisin
87. Many Moons by James Thurber and Louis Slobodkin
88. Strega Nona by Tomie DePaola
89. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and Felicia Bond
90. Lily's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
91. Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
92. Jamberry by Bruce Degen
93. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, and Lois Ehlert
94. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
95. Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
96. The House on East 88th Street (Lyle the Crocodile series) by Bernard Waber
97. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
98. Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault and Fred Marcellino
99. My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann
100. The Three Pigs by David Wiesner There's nothing quite as captivating as a story of adventure on the high seas. So whether you're a confirmed landlubber or a seafaring type with your own tales to tell, be sure to share some of these wonderful yarns with your children. They are some of our very favorites!
     The Maggie B by Irene Haas
     Margaret Barnstable wishes on a star one night -- wishes to sail the sea on her very own ship, "named after me," and with "someone nice for company." Her dream is comes true for a day, and she and her baby brother embark on a thrilling journey in what has got to be the coziest little vessel ever imagined, complete with a garden, goat, chicken and toucan. Margaret cooks delicious meals, takes care of her brother, captains her ship through stormy waters, and plays the fiddle too. She is quite a girl, and this is quite a book. We love it.
     
     Amos and Boris by Willam Steig
     In addition to being a lovely parable about friendship, this is the story of a perilous ocean voyage. Amos the mouse builds a sail boat and sets out to sea to explore "the vast living universe." He meets with misfortune, but also discovers a true friend and soul mate in the form of a whale named Boris. Steig's beautiful watercolors and lyrical storytelling (packed with charming nautical vocabulary, by the way) are an absolute treat for both children and the grown-ups who read to them.
     
     The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear
     It's a grand adventure, a beautiful love story, and a perfect poem. Jan Brett's illustrations set the tale in Carribean waters, and offer gorgeous images of the sea life under the pea green boat as well as of that elegant fowl and his beautiful pussycat.
     
     The Sailor Dog by Margaret Wise Brown
     This whimsical, rhythmic tale of Scuppers the dog who loved the sea offers plenty of excitement. Scuppers finds his home on a little sailboat, meets shipwreck, but cheerfully repairs his vessel and is on his way again. Garth Williams' pictures are a delight -- Scuppers sleeping in the bunk of his snug little cabin could make any child long for his very own ship.
     
     Flotsam by David Wiesner
     The story begins with a boy exploring creatures at the beach. A big wave blindsides the boy and tosses an old underwater camera onto the beach. The boy takes the camera to a photo-developing store and the pictures show an astonishing set of adventures at sea across time. In the end, the boy takes a picture of himself holding the photo and tosses the camera back into the ocean. The story ends with a little girl finding the camera washed up on a distant beach. The book is rich in visual detail but wordless, so it sparks children to imagine their own story lines.
     
     Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone
     This yarn and its wonderful sequels from the 1930s and 40s have recently been reprinted, and we are so thrilled! The story has remained popular over the years, and it's not hard to see why. There is something spellbinding about the tale of this little boy who is so enraptured by all things nautical that he stows away on a ship. Never mind worrying his parents -- Tim is off to be schooled in the ways of life at sea. When a great storm strikes, he stands by his captain's side, a small hero if there ever was one. You and the kiddos will want to keep reading and reading -- luckily there are eleven Tim books in the series.
     
     Wynken, Blynken, & Nod by Eugene Field
     We adore Johanna Westerman's dreamy illustrations of this classic and loveliest of lovely bedtime poems. You'll want it to be the last book you read every night as your children sail off into a sleepy "sea of dew."

Women's Pamper Day

The school year is close to an end!
It passed by very quickly, I think we all agree.
So, to end the day with a lovely perk of fun, I am having a Women's Pamper Day. At the Marian Anderson Rec.

What: Women's Pamper Day. Children are welcome.
Where: Marian Anderson Recreation Center (740 S 17th St, Philadelphia, PA 19146)
When: Friday, June 13th, 2014
Time: 4:00pm -- 8:00pm

Lunch will be $10.00 for a drink and a platter, and side orders are $3.00.
The menu consists of fish, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, potato salad, fries, Spanish rice, and as a drink there will be lemonade.

Some activities will be foot spa and foot massages, crystal beds, facials, craft table, music, vendors, manicures, henna, makeup, etc. There is also a park for the children to play. 

If you would like to vend, please contact me at:

Call: 267-699-6020

Email: aliziamele@yahoo.co.uk

Set-up time is 3:30pm, and clean-up time is closing time, 8:30pm.

If you do not want to vend, and just want to come and enjoy yourself, there is no fee and you do not have to contact me. You may come and go as many times as you wish between the four hours of fun. 

I hope to see you there! Please, spread the word, I would extremely appreciate it.  :)

Some More Websites!

Hi everyone! Today I'd like to share a few sites with you. 

These are for mother's with black (african american) girls. Very helpful to me, please check them out!

mybrownbaby.blogspot.com 

blackmomsclub.ning.com 

circleofmoms.com

http://ahaparenting.com

I really recommend these sites for mom's with girls (or boys). Again, check them out! :) 

Mom's (especially black moms) think they can do this on their own. But sometimes they need the help of other moms, to know that there are women out there who go what their going through. We can't always do it alone. And even if we meet people outside of cyberspace, there may be someone in that blog or mom website who is just like you, ready to meet you. 

It's even harder when one of your daughter's are a tween. A tween is a 10 - 12 year old girl or boy. I only learned this word from my daughter. She told me one day, "I'm a tween." Then she explained everything to me. Isn't it funny how kids just tell you things you never thought you'd hear?

Anyway, tween's are going through the cycle where they are beginning to get that independent spirit, so when their a teen, it's all out. They may become moodier, and say things you never thought you'd here them say. They also may begin to bicker with siblings (if they have any).

Tweens start asking for more independent things. Just a month ago, my daughter (the same tween I told you about) told me, "I want to be on a social network. Can I mom? Specifically New Moon."

I was blown away by the question but looked up newmoongirls.com. It was a very interesting website, I liked it so I signed her up. She's still using it to this day, and I've never been disapointed with the website. Ad-free, very very secure, fun, educational, and benefitive. Try it out for your tween, if you have one! I recommend it!!!!!!

Anyway, to learn a bit more about tweens and how they may start to act, go to:

http://www.ahaparenting.com/ages-stages/tweens/tweens-preteens

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE NYAN CAT POPTARTS - NERDY NUMMIES

 



How to make your own poptart from just pie mix, icing, and sprinkles!

Fun things to do with the family in the city of brotherly LOVE

Looking for fun things to do on the weekends, well here's a quick pick me upper, you can fine many event tabs here.
http://phillyfunguide.com/events/join-the-7th-annual-philly-spring-cleanup

Craft Ideas and Worksheet Websites

These are two sites that I think you will enjoy.


spoonful.com (if you read the family fun magazine, you will know this website)
handipoints.com


Spoonful is full of crafts, indoor and outdoor games, recepies, and other ideas. Handipoints has art and craft ideas, printable worksheets, games for your little one, and charts (behavior charts, chore charts, etc.) Very resourceful websites, please check it out.