Summer Reading List: Board Books

Summer Reading List: Board Books

Now that the weather is hot and kids are out of school, it’s time to grab the sunscreen, hats and towels to hit the beach and relax–and we have some great titles for your little ones to enjoy while you’re there.My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Julie Flett

First up, is Monique Gray Smith’s My Heart Fills with Happiness. This beautiful board book, with illustrations from celebrated artist Julie Flett, serves as a reminder for little ones and adults alike to reflect on and cherish the moments in life that bring us joy. The sun on your face. The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. This book will get children speaking about what fills their heart with happiness.

Written by the author to support the wellness of Indigenous children and families and to encourage young children to reflect on what makes them happy, My Heart Fills with Happiness is one of our #WeNeedDiverseBooks titles.

Hamsters on the Go! by  Kass ReichJust like your little ones, the hamsters in our board books are busy and full of energy! Catch the newest hamster installment Hamsters on the Go! by Kass Reich.

Hamsters have many places to go and lots of ways to get there! Following the success of her previous board books on numbers, colors and opposites, Kass Reich once again presents her beloved, splayed-toed hamsters. This time, the adorable critters are on the move, demonstrating all the different ways they get from here to there. A lively and humorous introduction to modes of transportation for little ones, be sure to catch the other hamster titles and check out Hooray for Hamsters!, a bundle of hamster books!

Next up, Laurie Elmquist’s new title, Beach Baby, which explores the beach and ocean for your family’s Beach Baby by Laurie Elmquist and illustrated by Elly MacKayyoungest member.

Everything will be here when you wake…

A gentle, poetic lullaby for baby, filled with memories from a perfect day playing on the beach. Castles, sand dollars, seals peering out of the waves and the beat of the ocean become sweet reminders of all the magical things that await baby tomorrow. A lyrical celebration of natural beauty and a soft, and a reassuring reminder for little ones being tucked into bed that fun and adventure will return with a new day.

To ready your little ones for beaches and fun, we have a watery craft for you and your family:

To create this porthole you’ll need:

    • Paint
    • Various colours and patterns of paper
    • Googly eyes
  • Paper plates
  • Tissue paper or ribbon
  • Lentils, sand, small stones and/or shells
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • String

What to get your children to do:

  1. For each child, place one paper plate face up (plate #1) and another face down (plate #2) on a covered surface. Paint both plates blue.
  2. Along the bottom of plate #1, glue lentils, stones, sand or shells as the sea floor.
  3. After the paint is dry, cut out fins and bodies to assemble the fish–making them as colourful as you want!
  4. Add googly eyes and mouths to the fish.
  5. Add tissue paper or ribbon along the bottom as seaweed.
  6. Glue a loop of string at the top of plate #1 to hang the porthole from.
  7. Cut out the center of plate #2 and glue the remaining edge onto the other plate as a the inside of the porthole.

 

 

Now it’s time to tuck our little board books into your beach bag and head down to the water!!

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