Books Alive: I Like Myself

Cream Cheese Cookies Milk

Hi! It’s Emily from Is This Really My Life. I’m super excited to be participating in Bettijo’s Books Alive series again this summer. Last time I shared one of my favorite Elephant & Piggie books along with a recipe for salted caramel swirl pecan ice cream. Mmm…now I want ice cream…

This year I had a hard time choosing a book because we are avid book readers in our home and our bookshelves are crammed with favorites. But a few children’s books stand out thanks to engaging illustrations and powerful messages. I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont is definitely one of them.

"I Like Myself" book and fun recipe to make with your kids via @PagingSupermom #BooksAlive

Don’t let the crazy cute illustrations and simple verse fool you—this book teaches one of the most important lessons of all: liking yourself just the way you are.

One of my favorite sections reads:

Inside, outside, upside down,
from head to toe and all around,
I like it all! It all is me!
And me is all I want to be.

And I don’t care in any way
what someone else may think or say.

Can I get an AMEN? Though written for children, I feel like this book is applicable to grownups as well.

"I Like Myself" book and fun recipe to make with your kids via @PagingSupermom #BooksAlive

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One of the best illustrations features the main character with “purple polka-dotted lips.” That was the inspiration for the recipe I’m sharing today: purple polka-dotted cream cheese sugar cookies.

"I Like Myself" book and fun recipe to make with your kids via @PagingSupermom #BooksAlive

Cream Cheese Cookie recipe via @PagingSupermom

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Books Alive: The Watermelon Seed

Bookpuppets07

Hello! It’s Kelly from Cloudy Day Gray, and I am so excited to be a part of the Books Alive reading series! Before I became a blogger and donate-life advocate I was, in fact, a teacher and reading specialist. Picture books are such an important part of every childhood and can foster a beautiful love of reading, storytelling, imagination, social skills, relationship building — I mean, I could put a 100 things on this list!

The Watermelon Seed -- learn how to make these fun puppets via @PagingSupermom #booksalive

The Watermelon Seed -- learn how to make these fun puppets via @PagingSupermom #booksalive

The Watermelon Seed --  learn how to make these fun puppets via @PagingSupermom #booksalive

It is always a good idea to practice re-telling a story, and with a simple book like The Watermelon Seed, by Greg Pizzoli, practicing can easily be turned into a full puppet show!

The Watermelon Seed --  learn how to make these fun puppets via @PagingSupermom #booksalive

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Books Alive: Cookies 

Ice Cream Cookie Parfaits 2

Summer is here, which means it’s time for another round of our Books Alive summer reading series. Today I’m happy to welcome Melissa from Lulu the Baker.

I’m so excited to be participating in the 2016 Books Alive! series here on Paging Supermom. I love children’s book, and look forward to the minutes I get to spend each evening reading to my kids before bedtime. When my oldest turned 3, my parents gave her the book Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal for her birthday, and we’ve been in love with the whole Cookies’ series ever since. The illustrations are beautiful, and each page offers sweet and funny lessons on kindness, generosity, hope, and more.

Have you read Cookies: Bite-Sized Life Lessons ? Such a cute book and love this fun idea to bring it to life via @PagingSupermom

Inspired by Cookies, my kids and I had fun creating these easy and delicious ice cream and cookie parfaits for a fun family night treat. First, we went to the grocery store, which all by itself is quite the adventure with 4 kids in tow, and each child chose a pint of ice cream and a small package of cookies. When we got home, we built our parfaits!

Ice Cream Cookie Parfait - ideas for fun and delicious toppings!

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Books Alive: The Big Hungry Bear

The Big Hungry Bear Book

You Guys! Today is the last day of our Books Alive Summer Reading Series — it’s hard to believe summer is over already. We hope you have enjoyed all the books and crafts. We are excited to be joined by Becky of The Crafting Chicks with one last classic story.

Hello! I’m so happy to be here sharing a family favorite book and fun activity to go with it.

Big Hungry Bear Book & Craft via @PagingSupermom #BooksAlive

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR, is a such a clever little book. My girls loved having it read to them over and over, and now enjoy reading it to each other. We all laugh and giggle at the cute little mouse and all the things he tries, to keep the Big Hungry Bear from his fresh picked strawberry.

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