Magical Tales
So curl up, stay tuned, and enjoy all the "Potter" magic of the season. Treat yourself or a friend to The Tales of Beedle the Bard!
Green Kawaii
Here's Kawaii's eco-friendly flapper for the season: An e-flipbook available on-line, right now!
Santa Goes Green is a tale about one boy, in one small house, in one small town, who makes all the difference! He asks for no gifts, no toys, just ways Santa can help save his polar bear's home. But it's no walk in the glacier either. Even for Santa!!! With three days 'till Christmas, it's a race against time as Swift, the head elf, tries to get his boss, Mr. Jolly Ol' Elf himself, more focused on (OMG!!!) Christmas!
Written by Anne Lewis and inspired by her then 6-year-old son, Cameron, Santa Goes Green is a gift from one mom to all the children of the world. And what's sooo inspiring is the book is available on-line, yours to read for free.
So read the gift! Click on the book title! Warm up to this holiday, Arctic tale.
Kawaii's take: it's a "topical" shade of green... certainly the new classic night-before-Christmas-read!
Holiday Travel
little pink candies for soothing sore throats!"
With Seuss-like prose and girl-wit precision, Priscilla and The Great Santa Search, will warm your hearts this holiday season. The fourth in the Priscilla series and just in time for the holidays, it's Tudy's pick for all your gift-giving reasons!
Mall Santas getting you down? Then do what Priscilla and her BFF, Bettina, do. Travel! Pack up. Embark on a quest (go ahead, Tudygirls, find your real Santa!). And take pictures! Lots of pictures!!! That way, yule end up with picture-perfect treasures... sights and sounds that'll make a believer of anyone.
But never underestimate the weather. Ol' man winter always exacts a heavy toll. Delays are common. So pack right and sit tight.
Tudy's travel advisory: Santa and his reindeers ahead!!!
For the Birds
Gracias the Thanksgiving Turkey is a frolicking, cut-to-the-chase, page turner! Sprinkled with Spanish from beginning to end, you'll have a fiesta helping Miguel figure out ways to save his pet turkey, Gracias, from being the Thanksgiving feast. (Oh, can you just imagine???) And somewhere down the line, as you hablas a little Espanol, you'll realize your family, friends, and community play such an integral part of who you can be. (Look all around you, Tudygirls. You have a lot to be grateful for!)
,,,Bueno, vamonos los muchachos y las muchachas. Feast up on this turkey. Gracias the Thanksgiving Turkey is a tried and Tudy-true holiday keeper,,,
(Shhhhh ... no hay de que, Gracias!)
Red, White, and True
Today, Tom Tierney has two, commemorative 2008 US presidential paper doll books available for sale at The Tudy Book Shop. These 32-page, limited edition booklets are just a bipartisan, "politically correct", history-in-the-making read. You'll learn about the presidential candidates, their families, and the whole electoral process. It's paper coverage you won't want to miss.
So make the most of this historical event! Cast your vote, secure your own polls, and let a paper doll race you to the White House.
The Fairy's Fizzzzz
Here's the ultimate, thirst quencher for all you trick or treaters!
Flutter home and clear out the butterfly dust and silky webs for this one.
It's a wing stopper!
Gather round:
4 cups Haagan Daz vanilla honey ice cream
(from the bees!)
2 cups Minute Maid orange juice
(from the trees!)
1 cup rice milk
(from the ground!)
Lots of orange wheels
(make sure they're round!)2 Tbsp powdered sugar
(powdery and sweet!)
1 can club or orange soda
(trick or treat!)
Now for some fairy magic (ask the elder fairies to help):
Put the ice cream, orange juice, sugar, and milk in a blender. Cover with the lid. Blend on high until smoooooth. Pour mixture into glasses. Serve as is or top off with club or orange soda. Garnish with lots and lots of orange wheels!
Now, close your eyes, drink it up! Make a wish...
... Poof!!! Wish granted!
BOOks and SpOOks
What do you do when you're a loney kid and live in a graveyard? Get a few ghosts and other creatures of the night to tutor you (wish I had Silas and Miss Lupescu for my teachers!), explore the haunting worlds that are just a (tomb)stones-throw away, and live a "normal" life just like Nobody "Bod" Owen's. But never, ever leave the graveyard, unless you're ready to dig your own grave!
The Graveyard Book, with haunting illustrations by Dave McKean, is vintage Gaiman and guarantees a ghoulishly good read! You're going to love Bod, and this bOOk, to death!
Beware the Spinmeister
The Spider!and The Fly is a ghoulishly fun read in black and white bling! Winner of the 2003 Caldecott Honor and a Ghoulie Tudy rave, this book will thrill, captivate, and enthrall you. Beautifully illustrated by the talented Tony DiTerlizzi, The Spider!and the Fly does what very few books can: it actually takes you to a movie ~ a 1920s, Hollywood, silent movie! Mary Howitt's classic, "danger stranger" tale is given a whole new, cinematic twist! And what a visual spin it is!
So this Halloween, fall for the trick! Walk into this spider's! parlor and have a howlin', dastardly time. After all, as the sly, dapper spider! so fiendishly reminded us, "spiders! are not the only hunters, and bugs are not the only victims" this time of year."
True, true!
Happy haunting...
Make Halloween Count!
Go Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF! Create your own coin canister with this downloadable, canister wrapper. Get into spirit (how about a do-good angel or a grant-a-wish fairy?) and go door-to-door for UNICEF this Halloween. Instead of treats, ask for donations to help UNICEF fight poverty by getting water, education, and medicine to kids who need it most!
UNICEF, or the United Nations Children's Fund, has been helping kids around the world for more than 50 years. And isn't it great that anyone, even kids, can help raise money to stave off poverty? Remember, just 6 cents provides water and $2.00 provides nutrition for one needy child. So it's easy, and this Halloween, it's even frightfully fun!
Trick or Treat for UNICEF! Because every boy, girl, and ghoul counts!
blogactionday.org
The Trick's the Tale .....By Tudette
The Monster From TooWoomba
I always do my homework.
I do! It’s true! I swear!
But there’s a monster in my locker,
And it’s blue and huge and smells.
And every time I stow my books,
The monster throws me a hungry lyyk.
So I feed it all my homework.
I do! It’s true! I swear!
And that is why, dear teacher,
My homework’s there, Down Under!
Have You Met...
My little sister, Tudette? I just YYY her! She's impish, funny, and totally into plush! Can you guess what's in her closet?
She's here just in time for trick-or-treating, so help her get into costume! She has a closet full of fun!
Tudy's A+ List
Homework driving you crazy? And poor Mom and Dad are just as clueless with your school work as a deer caught in the headlights? Here's a Tudy list of great websites to help you ace that homework. It's like having the best and most patient tutors right there beside you. Honestly, Tudygirls, who needs study hall?
1. Edhelper
A subscription-based website that offers a whole array of information for any grade level! From History to Science to Spanish and (yes!) SATs, it's one of the best educational websites available. It'll save you a trip to the library or bookstore time and time again. And for $40.00 a year, it's a steal!
2. Math.com
Can't tell an improper fraction from a mixed? Or an integer from an exponent? Math.com to the rescue! It's back to basics with this oh-so-simple-to-follow math website. And it's all there for free! So do the Math, Tudygirls! Click on!
3. Wikipedia.com
Imagine a whole encyclopedia at your fingertips! No time-consuming, heavy-lifting, page-turning agenda! Just type in the subject and presto info (!), it's all there.
4. Fact Monster
Just the facts please! Build your own data base with this fun website and suddenly, a 10, 20, even 30-page (!) inquiry is a finger-typing snap!
5. Coolmath4kids
A really easy-to-navigate website. Who knew numbers could be s000 much fun? There are a gazillion exercises and games to get you going. And a scoreboard to boot! Don't believe me? Just click on the digits!
6. National Geographic Kids
Your e-ticket to exotic lands minus the long line, delays, and security checks! Travel the world without leaving home and learn all about the planet! A Tudy fave, this website is your passport to the world.
So don't fret, don't sweat! Homework help is on it's way. There's never been a better time to get all your sources together. Suddenly, being Miss Smartypants (and you know she really rocked!) is just a click, click away.
What a Steal!
Capture the magic and mystery of Venice in Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord! This breath-taking book will take you on a byzantine journey thru Venice, as Prosper and Bo struggle to survive as orphans and get mesmerized by the shadowy and shady world of the Thief Lord. But they end up learning more than just survival skills - they discover the value of family and friends, and the importance of being true to yourself! A lesson even the Thief Lord has to learn! But will he learn it in time?
So sit back on your gondolas, let your mind take a trip to Venice, and let The Thief Lord steal your heart away!
Tudy's ABC Word Safari
Join Tudy on an ABC word safari! Did you know "safari" means "journey" in Swahili? See if you can add on or make up your own word safari. Either way, it's a fun romp in the jungle. Journey on!
An army of ants. A building of rooks. A barren of mules. A cast of hawks. A crash of rhinoceroses. A dissimulation of birds. A dule of doves. An exaltation of larks. A flight of swallows. A gaggle of geese. A herd of elephants. A husk of hares. A kindle of kittens. A knot of toads. A labor of moles. A leap of leopards. A murder of crows. A murmuration of starlings. An ostentation of peacocks. A pride of lions. A parliament of owls. A rag of colts. A route of wolves. A school of fish. A shrewdness of apes. A sounder of swine. A trip of goats. A troop of kangaroos. An unkindness of ravens. A watch of nightingales. A walk of snipe. And last, but not least (and a Tudy fashion fave!) a zigzag of zebras.
Before the Leaves Fall...
Frame your favorite photos with them! What better way to scrapbook the last of those breezy, dreamy, summer moments than with a Tudy Frame! You know the drill - download the images, resize to fit your pics, and cut out (be careful!). Get framed!
Get Into The Swim of Things!
Swimming is making a huge splash everywhere ~ what with Michael Phelp's Great Haul of China, Rebecca Adlington's remarkable new record, and Dara Torres's spectacular performances (she's 41 years old!)! Even my Fave Sport Poll has swimming winning by a tidal wave! So it's no wonder my Under The Sea Tudy Party is your favorite party theme!
So get into the swim of things with a Tudy~licious book with lots of water in it! (Plus a mermaid, for even more underwater flavor!) Read Natalie Babbit's The Search For Delicious and find out how a word and water can start a war! It all begins with an argument about (of all things!) the meaning of the word "delicious". And with some nasty rumors thrown in, a civil war is about to break out! It's all up to Gaylen, a young boy who means well, to believe in the old legends and, hopefully, save the kingdom! What more can I say? It's a Tudy~licious book about understanding others and believing in what truly matters.
Bye-bye Summer!
And while you're waiting, write finis to your Olympic Saga with a taste of Elizabethan in Mary Pope Osborne's Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Magic Tree House #25). Share the stage with Jack and Annie as they become actors in Shakespeare's immortal fairy tale, Midsummer Night's Dream. Better yet, try out your own thespian skills and read the original! And remember, take fashion notes on those fantastic, over-the-top costumes (A True Tudygirl never passes up a chance to play dress up!)! London
So lose the stage fright and get into the act! Stage Fright on a Summer Night and Midsummer Night's Dream are perfect ways to bid adieu to all things summer!
Beijing Or Bust
Follow the yellow, silk road and you'll discover China, its rich history and ever-resilient people. Halfway through, you'll stumble onto a chance encounter with Emperor Shi-Huang Di, China's first emperor and one of history's most controversial rulers! (Listen up, Tudygirls. No matter how fabulous the outfit, don't mess with the man in the beaded hat and the "to-die-for" silk robe!!!)
So read on. Those 7,000+ terracotta warriors are waiting to be rediscovered. And the Great Wall has secrets to share. Meowry reckons The Day of the Dragon King is the purr-fect complement to all your Olympic dreams.
Now, go for the gold and follow your own inner, silk road!
I'm Having A Ball...
And I hope you are too! So what better way to scrapbook those winning sports moments than with a Tudy Frame! You know the drill - download the image, resize to fit your pic, and cut out (be careful!). Ready, get set, and get framed!
An Olympic Feat
Run with The Magic Tree House's Jack and Annie, as they race against time to retrieve a lost story in ancient Olympia! Read Mary Pope Osbourne's Hour of the Olympics, and its primer, Ancient Greece and the Olympics, for real time travel (about 3,000 years ago!) to the first ever Olympic games!
You'll meet Plato, Nike (sooo NOT the shoe!), and that famed, winged wonder, Pegasus! You'll read about what the ancient Greeks wore (a Tudy note: tunics and sandals ruled!) and ate (baklava, anyone?). You'll wake up in Athens and shop around the agora (poso kami, Tudygirls, I'll trade my obolos any time for the golden fleece!) And most importantly, you'll meet the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. But here's the clincher: it wasn't all fun and games. Unfortunately, girls were usually caught between Scylla and Charybdis! Girls couldn't compete in the first Olympic games ! No girls allowed, that was the golden rule (excuuuse me, did Athena know about this?!)!
So, cheer on whenever you see female athletes competing! Women weren't always welcomed in the Olympics or any sporting event for that matter! It's been a long time coming.
Here's to all female athletes the world over: Godspeed! May the gods be with you!
08 08 08
It's Olympic Fever! From Athens, Greece to Beijing, China, on August 8, 2008, the whole world's tuning in to the greatest games!
And aren't those five mascots just tooooo cute? Meet Fuwa - Beibei the Fish, Jingjing the Panda, Huanhuan the Olympic Flame, Yingying the Tibetan Antelope, and Nini the Swallow! Did you know that the first syllable of their names form the greeting "Beijing Huanying Ni" or "Welcome to Beijing"? And the color of each mascot was chosen to match the colours of the Olympic Rings?
So bring the Olympics close to home - watch your favorite games and cheer for your team! Get into sports - learn a new one or join a team, even if it's just in your neighborhood! And design your own mascot for even more team spirit! Let the Games begin!
Before You "Google" It...
... alphabetize, file, and presto turn-o (a page or two)!
That's right, start your own compendium (that's fancy for collection!) and let that sassy, self-professed xenophile (check out what that means!), Fancy Nancy, guide you thru the exciting, thought-provoking, wonderful World of Words! Fancy Nancy's Favorite Words: From Accessories to Zany is an adorable pictionary (fancy that: a dress up dictionary!!!) of her favorite and fancy words. Why use "feather" when "plume" is so much more dramatic? Why just "want" when you can "yearn"? And mon ami, why just "answer please" when you can "respondez s'il vous plait"?
Oui,oui! No matter what your lingua franca, start an early rendezvous (that's way fancy for meeting!) with words! Nowadays, it's just too easy to click, click, and forget it. A picture may be worth a thousand words but, as Miss Fancy Nancy knows: words define YOU! Choose wisely...
PD Trivia
I just love Paper Dolls (ok, ok, I AM a Paper Doll!) but did you know Paper Dolls have been around for more than 200 years (OMG! I'm sooo old! Uh, I mean "vintage"!)? And that Paper Dolls started in 18th century France (je t'aime, Paris!)? And that Paper Dolls have evolved with history and technology (go ahead, "google" me!)? Just goes to show how a simple toy can stand the test of time! So here are a few Paper Doll Links that make for fascinating reading about the history of my all-time, favorite toy! Vive le PDs!
Wildartdolls Collectdolls Opdag
Icon-ic Tudy
BTW, one of my favorite Tudy Icons is 
my shopping bags! It's a picture perfect image of retail therapy (aka shopping!!!) and those crazy, lazy, "let's-just-hang-out-in-the mall-'cuz-it's-too-hot-to do-anything" days! So what better way to scrapbook an icon than to add it to my Tudy Frames! You know the drill - download the images, resize to fit your pics, and cut out (be careful!). So what are you waiting for, Tudygirls, click on and get framed!
Now Track This!
This is a Woofy favorite because it's fully loaded with moveable magnets, a Jungle Jack paper doll (I'm a fan!), and real photographs (Yes! Pictures!!!)! And it's written by one of the best known and loved animal experts in the world, Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio.
So go ahead, trek into a photo safari. Have fun along the way. Back track a little and you just might learn a thing or two. It's a jungle out there, so remember: home is where the wild hearts roam.
And History Will Huzzah You...
John Adams, Second U.S. President
October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826
"In matters of style, swim with the current: In matters of principle, stand like a rock."
Thomas Jefferson, Third U.S. President
April 13, 1743 - July 4, 1826
Jump start your 4th of July celebration with this believe-it-or-not Tudy Truism: Did you know John Adams, the second U.S. President, and Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. President and author of the Declaration Of Independence, both passed away within hours of each other on July 4, 1826?
Legend has it both men were so determined to see the fledgling United States succeed, they willed themselves to live till the 4th of July, 1826 - 50 years (OMG!!!) after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence!
Was it sheer coincidence? As if!
Was it die-hard tenacity? So totally!
Was it forever revolutionary? Oh, absolutely!
Happy Birthday, America!
Remember the will that forged your spirit! Enjoy (and cherish!) your birthright!
I Love Pooh
We all know Pooh because of the Disney movies and books, but the original stories of Milne and the drawings of Ernest H. Shepard are wonderful, whimsical, fanciful, and Tudy-lightful! They totally capture the tenderness, sweetness, and "funny-ness" of Pooh!
So here's a cute game featuring the original Winnie-the-Pooh drawings! Gotta "think, think, think" for this one!
And if you get the chance, visit the real Pooh and four of his best friends (not the cartoons or drawings, but the real stuffed toys!) - at The New York Public Library's History and Social Science Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, Manhattan, New York. It'll be like visiting the 100 Acre Wood.
But of course, all you really have to do to visit Pooh, is to open one of Milne's books...
So, do you love Pooh?
A Whole Lot of HOOp-la!
In 1958, Wham-o owners Richard P. Knerr and Arthur K. Melin manufactured a plastic hOOp in a variety of bright colors. At first, they gave away the hOOps to get kids to learn and play. But four months later, with 25,OOO,OOO sold (count those hOOps... I mean zerOs!), the Hula-Hoop® became one of the greatest toy fads ever! And 5O years later, it's still a simple toy that fascinates a lot of people, including grownups who now use it to exercise!
But kids and adults have been hOOping for much longer than 5O years! More than 3,OOO years ago (!!!) kids in Egypt were doing just about the same thing with hOOps made of dried grapevines! And a lot of dislocated backs (OOuch!) were reported in 14th century England because of a hOOping craze! And of course, the Hawaiians were doing the same hip action with or without the hOOps with their hula dancing! Just goes to show that a simple toy can last a really lOOOOOOng time!
So get those hips gyrating for some summer fun! It's a whole lot of hOOpla!
A Ride On The Wild Side
Then pick-up James Patterson's thriller series, Maximum Ride! The first book, The Angel Experiment, will have you flailing and flapping your arms in no time!
You'll meet Max Ride and her "flock" - all part of a human and avian experiment gone awry. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel are kids who decide to run away from "home". Home is called The School, a school for "the gifted," and The School will stop at nothing to get them back. They'll welcome Max and her friends back anytime - dead or alive! (Shock-ER!!! Don't you just love YOUR school ? It's so much better, isn't it?)
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment is a great, made-for-movie, summer read. It's a well-crafted, video game in book form! But at the heart of it all, it's still a story about family, humanity, and responsibility. So buckle up and turn on your reading lights, this read gets faster and faster.
Kawaii says, "Dude! It's pure migration!"
It All Started Here
It's the classic tale of a quest, the adventures that come along the way, and just how important true friends really are. You get to meet Gandalf, Bilbo, and Frodo when they and Middle Earth were younger. So what's not to like? And you do know The Hobbit is coming to the big screen soon, so get a head start and read the book now. (Oh, I just can't wait to see Smaug the Magnificent!)
It's All About DAD!
Dad’s the alpha, he’s the man!
What’s his mantra? “Yes, you can!”
He’s a life coach, name the game.
Without Dad, it’s not the same!
Dad’s the sun, the moon, the stars.
Skies the limit! He’s never far!
Dad’s your mentor, Dad’s your friend.
Tried and tested to the end.
To all Dads out there, here’s the pitch:
Happy Father’s Day!
Furrific, Purrific, and Featherrific...
TudyPet Frames! Let Woofy, Meowry, and Kawaii frame your summer photos! And if you have your own pets, these TudyPet Frames keep your favorite pet photos perfect company!
You know the drill - download the images, resize to fit the pictures you want framed, and cut out (be careful!). Use a cutter and cutting mat for this project for best results! Get framed!
You know the drill - download the images, resize to fit the pictures you want framed, and cut out (be careful!). Use a cutter and cutting mat for this project for best results! Get framed!
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