Hello Book Bums families!
The hot weather this week is the perfect excuse to stay inside with a good book. We hope your family has been enjoying some reading time together. This week in the newsletter we have book recommendations, cool facts about words, and some ideas for making summertime easier.
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Word of the Week
mellifluous (mell-ih-flew-us) adjective/describing word - sweetly or smoothly flowing, sweet sounding
This one seems at first glance like the perfect melding of 'mellow” and “superfluous.” A total treat to say, mellifluous actually means “sweetly or smoothly flowing” or “sweet-sounding.” Now that’s a homological word (a word that describes itself)!
Literary Calendar
• June 18 is the birthday of author and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg.
• Van Allsburg won Caldecott medals for both Jumanji and Polar Express.
• His picture books take you on a visual journey as you read
"It's not bad to be different. Sometimes it's the mark of being very very talented."
- Chris Van Allsburg
Tips for Families
Three Things You May Want to STOP Doing This Summer
1. Stop Feeling Guilty About What You’re NOT Doing
As an empty nester, I can tell you that my children (35, 32, 30-almost) do not even remember half the things I did in my effort to be a summertime super mom. As a full-time educator, I tried to make up for lost family time over summer breaks. The thing is . . . my kids didn’t need me to be any sort of super mom. They were used to the regular ol’ me. Sure, we did some fun, memorable things; but I’d recommend that you enjoy what you do and don’t feel guilty about what you won’t do. It’s who we are in the little moments that matters most. It’s the side-eyed giggles in the car, spotting baby groundhogs, playing board games by candlelight because the power’s out, catching lightning bugs and then letting them go. It’s camping out on the deck, eating watermelon every day, and staying in pjs the whole dang day if we want to. Do some great stuff this summer, but don’t feel bad about what you aren’t doing. Remember, it’s okay for your kids to be bored. Boredom fosters creativity, self-esteem, and original thinking.
2. Stop Comparing Yourself with Others
We hear it all the time, but we still find ourselves playing the compare game, don’t we? Whether it’s their pool, their vacation, their perfect snapshots shared on social . . . We can fall into the comparison trap, and it can leave us feeling a little emptier than we might have otherwise been feeling. We see other people’s “amazing” while not realizing that, at the very same moment, others are seeing OUR “amazing.” Let’s just agree that we’re all human, and that everyone has highs and lows. I don’t know anyone who’d trade their family for another’s, so let’s just decide to be really good with who we are.
3. Stop Playing Small
Do you have something that you’re passionate about, but you’re finding it hard to move forward with it—mostly because you’re not up to the scrutiny of others? Maybe it’s a side gig or a career change or a new hobby or even just an audacious personal goal you’ve set for yourself. You can hear it already. “What a waste of time.” “Who does s/he think s/he is?” “Are you SURE you want to do that?” Here’s the thing: Whether you do it or not, remember that if you’ll regret not trying, perhaps you should just go for it. Anything that’s worth doing is going to be a challenge, and win or lose—succeed or fail, the experience will certainly teach you something worth learning.
Remember . . . Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. ~Dr. Seuss
From our Bookshelves
From Our Bookshelves
Hold on to your hats! Two new pals have arrived on the scene: Cowgirl Kate and her stubborn, but devoted cowhorse, Cocoa. Together they count the herd, ride the range, and, of course, argue till the cows come home--as only best friends can do.
With its spirited text and bright, humorous illustrations by Caldecott Honor recipient Betsy Lewin, this first book in the Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series is bound to be a hit with young wranglers everywhere.
This is a terrific beginning chapter book! When we went to the Smoky Mountains last summer, my granddaughter got to go horseback riding for the first time. We purchased a stuffed toy horse at the gift shop and then we ordered every Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa book to enjoy all summer long. Cocoa is a real character that we both thoroughly enjoyed!”
Tips for Readers and Writers
When you gift loved ones with books, plan an informal book club so you can extend the experience. Make a coffee shop date to talk about the book a bit. Or meet at the pool with a plan to discuss the story. Or make it a lunch date. You don’t need to have a formal plan, but make time to talk about the story together. It doesn’t matter if the book is for a child or an adult. By making a date to chat about it, you’re adding value to the story and to the gift itself. And you’re deliberately making time for the person you loved enough to share the book with in the first place.
Wordology Workshop
• Since it has been so hot and sunny here in Cincinnati, let's think about roots for sun.
• The Latin root for sun is sol. You find it in words like solar and solstice.
• You may also know that sol provides the root for the word sun in Spanish - sol, Italian - sole, and French - soleil. That's because all three languages grew from the common ancestor of Latin.
• The Greek root for sun is helio. You find it in the name of Greek gods like Helios and in more scientific words like heliotropic which means the habit of some plants of turning toward the sun.
Practical Grammar
lose vs loose
This is a trickster because there is a magic e at the end of lose /looz/ that would make one believe the o should say its name and the word should sound like /Lowes/.
And the word loose . . . Do you know why there is an e there at the end?
It informs the reader that the word is not the plural of loo (British word for bathroom).
Consider these words with seemingly insignificant e’s at the ends:
moose (not the plural of moo)
choose (not the plural of choo)
goose (not the plural of goo)
We know that s can make the sounds /s/ and /z/, so that’s not overly tricky. (Think: his and hiss)
Here’s one way to remember which spelling you need . . .
If your britches are too loose (two o’s) you may lose your drawers.
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