Pinterest – Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Saying Good-bye with Mrs. McBee

Peachtree Publishers — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan, author of Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3, knows the bittersweet of saying good-bye to a lot of people and places, which was part of her inspiration for writing Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3. In the book, the students of Room 3 find out Mrs. McBee will not be returning to the school for the next year. As each student helps their teacher prepare the classroom for next year’s students, the children each find their own way of saying good-bye by celebrating their beloved teacher and remembering the wonderful memories they have together of that year.

Along with her debut picture book that encourages readers to acknowledge and celebrate transitions like the end of school, McLellan prepared an activity guide for anyone who is preparing to say good-bye. With the end of the school year looming, and Teacher Appreciation Day just around the corner, these activities can help make saying good-bye to your favorite teacher more sweet than bitter.

Make a Memory Box with everyone who helped make a certain place special. Each person can contribute their favorite memory, and then the best of a classroom or building or house is preserved in the box.

Pictures are one of the best and easiest ways to preserve good memories. By creating a place or people-specific book, the story or narrative of time spent together will be easy to see and easy to enjoy all over again.

Every person has their own way of helping to say goodbye! Make everyone an “expert” certificate to designate jobs and responsibilities in cleaning and preparing to leave a classroom or building.

Get the full activity guide on Pinterest or download it here! Get to know the author and creator of the activity guide and Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 in this Q&A.

You can find Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble.

Make Your Own Kite!

Peachtree Publishers — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 16:00:00 +0000

So Big Wind Day is a thing. And it’s today! It certainly comes at the right time of year, with all the lovely spring breezes ushering in some warm weather. Of course, with lots of windy days, kite-flying should be at the top of everyone’s to-do list.

If you need some literature to get you in the mood for windy days and kite-flying, be sure to check out Elizabeth Spurr‘s latest board book In the Wind. Perfect for toddlers, the simple, evocative language describes a girl’s experience on a windy day; the lovely illustrations by Manelle Oliphant could even give you some design ideas for your next kite project or kite-flying outing!

In case you don’t happen to have a kite handy, we’ve collected a few kite-making tutorials so that everyone can join in the fun of Big Wind Day.

This one is for the kite-flyers who like the more natural, neutral look for their kite.

Style Me Pretty

This one has streamers galore, with more simple ingredients for a bright and beautiful end product.

Inner Child Fun

This one removes all excuses for not being able to fly a kite. All the components are right under your nose!

2 Little Hooligans

This one is for any kite-makers who want to break out of the usual kite box with some fun designs!

Red Ted Art

This one leaves the design up to the kite-flyer but provides all the necessary blueprints for the perfect kite.

Squawk Fox

Find In the Wind at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble!

Bringing Child of Spring to Life

Peachtree Publishers — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 18:00:00 +0000

Tomorrow is a big day! Child of Spring by Farhana Zia is coming out!

Basanta longs for the beautiful ring worn by her young mistress, but when it is finally hers, she realizes that it’s not the wonderful possession she expected. Increasingly aware of the struggles of her less privileged friends, Basanta finds a way to improve their lives and entertain their community – and the beautiful ring takes on a new meaning.

Set in a contemporary Indian village, Child of Spring introduces lots of unfamiliar terms. So, to help you explore Basanta’s world, we’ve put together a new Pinterest Board.

Learn about Diwali, the Festival of Lights, and find a recipe to make tamarind candy! Let us know what you think! exp

Some Free Resources Out There…

Peachtree Publishers — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 17:37:00 +0000

Beneath the Sun (library) was just named “Highly Commended” by the 2015 Zolotow Award committee, administered by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, recognized for “outstanding writing in a picture book for young children.”

But what are some ways to use a title like this in the library, classroom, or home?

In addition to your favorite bloggers (like Two Writing Teachers, who include Beneath the Sun in their 10 Math and Science Topic Choice Mentors for read alouds and writing prompts) and Pinterest searches, the Peachtree website and blog shares some great resources, too.

We’ve shared a Teacher Guide for Beneath the Sun as well as Melissa Stewart’s other titles When Rain Falls and Under the Snow. (Check out all of our Teacher Guides here.) If you really want the book to come alive, consider doing a Readers Theater, script available here.

Stewart also shares a wealth of fabulous activities on her Science Clubhouse Website for teachers, librarians, booksellers, and homeschoolers, including a Teacher Guide and Mini Video Lesson. Speaking of your favorite bloggers, check out Stewart’s Celebrate Science Blog for innovative resources for teaching science and tips for writing nonfiction. She’s on Pinterest, too, and shares plenty of teaching ideas and resources for using the title in the classroom.

What are you favorite bloggers and resources?