Category: Holidays

Books, Holidays, Parenting

Advent Idea: A Holiday Book a Day

Kirsten W. Larson

Happy holiday season all!

My Christmas tree is decorated, my nutcracker collection is out, and I have Harry (Connick Jr.) for the Holidays playing at top volume over my speakers. Can you feel my excitement?

I hope you’ll join me on X or Instagram starting Friday, Dec. 1 where I’ll share a holiday book a day. It’s a tradition I started years ago when my kids were tiny (see above photo). Now that they are teens (and tower over me), I’m inviting you to explore these books with me, one for each day of the advent season. I have a whole bunch of new titles on hold at the library thanks to recommendation by my writer friends at the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge.

Coming Friday...a holiday book a day!

In the meantime, if you are a caregiver or teacher and want a fun countdown to the holidays, here’s my original post about creating a book a day advent calendar.

Reposted from Nov. 29, 2011–

Growing up, I remember our advent calendar held a small candy cane  for each day until Christmas. My brother, sister and I would eagerly take turns removing the candies (even though peppermint isn’t my favorite). We have a traditional advent calendar in our house now; each day the boys remove a different figure from a numbered pocket and velcro it onto the manger scene. Since Thanksgiving, my older son has been asking me if it’s December 1st yet, so he can start creating the scene.

Because this is such a special time of year, I’m always interested in new ways to count down to Christmas. My friend Nancy recently shared a good one: a holiday book a day. Here’s how it works. Scour your children’s book collection for 25 books about the holiday season. Don’t have 25 books? Neither do I, so I also included books about winter and snow. For example, I include The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton. You can also visit your local library to supplement your collection. Just make sure to keep those at the front of the pile so they don’t become overdue! Also consider that booksellers may have holiday books on sale during the holiday season.

Once you’ve amassed your pile, find a nice basket to hold all your books, and put it in a special spot, for example under your tree, by your fireplace or on a side table in the family room. Then it’s time to start wrapping! Pull out the wrapping paper, ribbon and bows, wrap each book and place it in the basket. (Note: You could use your recycled holiday cards to help decorate.) There’s nothing children love more during the holidays than unwrapping a present. Designate a special time each day (first thing in the morning or bedtime, for example), and let each child take turns unwrapping a “present.” Then you can all enjoy reading the book together. What a nice holiday tradition!

Arts/Crafts, Holidays, Parenting

Thankful Turkeys: A Thanksgiving Craft

Kirsten W. Larson

What’s the best part of Thanksgiving (besides the sweet potatoes and pecan pie)? Gratitude! This month I’m reviving a 2012 arts and craft activity, that invites kids to reflect on what they are grateful for.

Getting into a grateful mood

This is the cover to We Are Grateful, Otsaliheliga.

Before you get crafting, I highly recommend helping your kids get into a grateful mood. One of my favorite picture books for cultivating gratitude is We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Tracy Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac. After you read the book, brainstorm as a whole group some things to be grateful for.

Now on to the turkeys…

Thankful turkeys

Originally posted November 2012 — My little turkeys are thankful for many things this year: mostly LEGOs, chocolate, and their stuffed animals. Sigh. At least they’re honest.

In an effort to infuse some gratitude into the Thanksgiving season, we built these “thankful turkeys” out of pinecones. We will add a new feather each day (for five total) with things we are thankful for.

To build these turkey’s here’s what you’ll need:

  • Pinecone
  • Construction paper: brown, orange, red
  • School glue
  • Black marker
  • Googlie eyes (optional)

Here’s what you do:

  • Cut turkey body by tracing a figure eight on the brown construction paper. Make the lower circle (body) larger than the upper circle (head).
  • Using orange paper, cut a triangular beak. Cut a couple of oval-shaped orange feathers while you are at it.
  • Using red paper, cut a waddle. Cut a couple of red feathers too.
  • Glue waddle, then beak to the turkey’s head. Add eyes using marker or googlie eyes if you have them.
  • Write things you are thankful for on each feather, one item per feather.
  • Lay pinecone on its side. Glue turkey body to short, pointy end of the pinecone. Glue feathers to wide base of pinecone.

These make a great centerpiece. We’ll be using them to decorate the kids’ table. Now if only we can get some non-material items listed on those feathers…

Arts/Crafts, Education, educational activities, Holidays, Homeschool

ELA Activity: A Superhero for Today

Kirsten W. Larson

Each month, I spotlight a book-based educational activity teachers and homeschooling parents can use with their students. This activity is adapted from the educators’ guide for A TRUE WONDER, created by Marcie Colleen. You’ll find the complete guide here.

This is the book cover for A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything by Kirsten W. Larson, illus. Katy Wu.

Superhero costumes galore

It’s October, and nearly time for trick-or-treating. This is the time of year you’ll see kids everywhere dressed up like Black Panther, Spiderman, Ms. Marvel, or Wonder Woman.

Times have changed since Wonder Woman was created, as more superheroes have have joined the ranks representing more and more people in our society. For today’s activity, have students begin by making a list of today’s popular superheroes. Then have them answer:

  • What do these superheroes have in common?
  • Are there any who stand out as unique? How so?
  • Do you see any room for more diversity? How so?
  • Wonder Woman was created so that young girls could see themselves in her heroism. Where do you see a need for kids today to see themselves in a superhero?

Create your own superhero for today!

Have students create their own superhero. They should draw a picture of their superhero, list what makes them a hero (and super!), and create a poster introducing them to others.

Holidays

2022 Wonder Woman Gift Guide for Kids

Kirsten W. Larson

Previously, I shared a “girlfriends” Wonder Woman gift guide aimed at teens and adult fans. While some of those gift ideas might work for little fans too, in this post, I want to focus on gifts perfect for the younger set. So without further ado…

A few holiday gift ideas to pair with the book A TRUE WONDER

If you are looking for other ideas, stickers and pens make great stocking stuffers. You can find them at many places, including Amazon.

Holidays

WOOD, WIRE, WINGS Gift Guide for Women with Wings

Kirsten W. Larson

Is there a lady in your life with her head in the clouds? I’ve got a few great gifts for women and girls who were born to fly.

  • WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek: 2020). This is the true story of self-taught engineer Lilian Todd, the first woman to design her own airplane in 1910. Buy it wherever books are sold.
  • Women in Aviation International Pioneer tote. I have the tshirt version of this, and I love the nod to all the female in aviation who have come before us. Buy it from Women in Aviation International.
  • I own these paper airplane dangly earrings in silver. Love them so much! Now you can get them in silver, gold, or rose gold. (I may need more). Buy them on Etsy.
  • This is so close to my favorite NASA rhinestone shirt. I may need to order another, since I wear it for school visits and appearances all the time. From LA Pop Art.
  • Fly water bottle from One Plane Jane. There is a lot of super cute stuff on this site.
  • I love the smell of jet fuel in the morning! Now you can enjoy this scent at home thanks to this candle. have no idea what this really smells like, but the idea is hilarious. Buy on Etsy.
Books, Holidays

2022 Gift Guide for Kids Who Soar

Kirsten W. Larson

Looking for some great gifts for that airplane-loving kids in your life? Here’s an update to the 2020 list I created for our Soaring ’20s group guide.

This is a graphic showing holiday gift ideas for airplane loving kids.
Holidays

Wonder Woman Girlfriend Gift Guide (2022)

Kirsten W. Larson
This is a picture of a few Wonder Woman gift suggestions.

Looking for some special gifts for your group of girlfriends or another Wonder Woman in your life? I have you covered with this list of gifts for the Wonder Woman fan perfect for teens or grown ups.

I’ll be back soon with more bookish gift ideas. Have you already started your holiday shopping? What are some of your favorite finds? Have you uncovered other Wonder Woman gifts you would recommend?

Books, Holidays, Reading, Toys

Picture Books Make Magical Gifts!

Kirsten W. Larson
Give a picture book this holiday season!

Share the joy of reading this holiday season. Whether it’s a package of picture books or a toy/book pairing, books make magical gifts. Find a slew of books and related gifts in this Soaring ’20s Holiday Gift Guide, which features the A TRUE WONDER gifts below.

Order your gifts now for best selection and availability.

Books, Holidays, Just for fun, Toys

7 Gifts for Wonder Women of All Ages

Kirsten W. Larson

It’s Wonder Woman Day! Our superhero celebrates 80 years on newsstands this month. And today she’ll be inducted into the Comic-Con Character Hall of Fame. HOORAY!

What better way to celebrate than with some of my favorite Wonder Woman gifts and gear for all ages.

Holidays, Writing

Turning to 2013

Kirsten W. Larson

Celebrating New YearNow that you have survived the end of the world, I’m sure you’ve given some thought to what’s ahead for 2013. I don’t do resolutions, per se, but I do like to set goals for myself each year, so I can measure my progress. This seems to come naturally at the end of the year when I’m getting my planner organized, transferring over birthdays, appointments and more. (Have I mentioned how much I love Levenger’s Circa system?)

2012 marked my real return to writing, after I joined Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 in 2012 Picture Book Writing Challenge. You can learn about my progress here. About halfway into the year, I learned that I probably wouldn’t be satisfied with the process of writing and revising picture books, submitting them to editors, and waiting six months or more for a yay or nay. It can take established authors 5 years or more to sell manuscripts this way, not to mention the challenges a new writer faces.

While I will still shop the picture book manuscripts I have and write those I feel passionate about, my goal for 2013 is to break into the work for hire market. Essentially, I want to develop a relationship with publishers, primarily in the education market, so I can get assignments. I’ve set my sites on a couple of SCBWI events that will introduce me to educational publishers. I’m also going to focus on submitting articles to paying and nonpaying markets in an effort to build up my writers’ resume and increase my chances. Again, I am sure this process will take a long time, but at least I’ve narrowed my focus.

I’ve also realized that I need a writing workshop to brush up on my writing skills. I took two half-day workshops this summer on creative nonfiction and writing leveled readers, but I definitely crave more. Finding the right workshop has proved tricky, since many children’s writing workshops are focused on fiction. However, I now have a few leads thanks to a discussion group I recently joined focused solely on children’s nonfiction.

On the personal front, I did run my first 10K in 2012, as well as a couple of 5Ks, including one with my Dad. I have more races lined up for 2013, including another 10K. And a few girlfriends and I have set our sights on Disney’s Tinkerbell Half Marathon for January 2014. We’re looking at some training programs and have stepped up our strength training workouts and run schedules. Oh, and we’ve already planned our wardrobe inspired by the picture below.

Have a blessed 2013 everyone!