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February Newsletter - 2002 Hedgie Awards!
The Hedgie Awards are here! We've selected what we believe to be the best read aloud Picture and Chapter books for 2002. Read on to see which books won...
Congratulations to Kim in Webster, New York, Wanda of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and Donna of Wilmington, Delaware, winners in our last two Hedgie Tshirt giveaways!
We have another Hedgie Tshirt drawing running - the winners will be selected
on February 15th. If you'd like to enter, click
here. Or, take a look at our cute
Hedgie Tshirts and help promote reading aloud to children!
Click this link for your very own copy
of
Hedgie's Monthly Newsletter.
If you like this newsletter, please
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Hedgie's Cash for Schools: We've just launched Hedgie's Cash for Schools. We saw that other programs only paid schools 1-2% of purchases (after administrative fees), so we have set up a program where any purchases you make from www.hedgehogbooks.com will pay 10% to the school or district of your choice - with no administrative fees. For more information on how to sign up your school, click here.
A Note to Teachers: We know you don't have much time, but if you get the inclination, we now welcome teacher reviews for all of our books. If Hedgie hasn't done a review, a teacher review will be selected at random to be the main review. Put in your two cents about what students should read! Just go to the book you want to review and Add A Teacher's Review (Note, you don't have to fill out the entire form - pick the sections that are right for your review).
Thinking of sending books as gifts? On our checkout form, we've added the option to include a short message to the recipient of the books.
Recommended this month (For Babies/Toddlers)
Snow Bears
Acclaimed storyteller Martin Waddell returns with a warm winter’s tale of three little bears who love to pretend - and a Mommy Bear who loves to play along. Little readers will love being in on the charming silliness of the snow bear game, illustrated with all the crisp beauty of a snowy day. Too cute! And just right for little ones, ages 2 to 6.
Recommended this month (For Young Readers)
Alphaboat
is a tale of adventure on the high seas with all the letters of the alphabet. With a nod to nautical yarns of yore, it's full of wonderful word plays, hysterical puns and mixed-up usage...to say nothing of the humorous illustrations that will get a giggle out of the most serious student. What a marvelous book for helping children see the beauty (and fun!) of the written word. Perfect for children, ages 6 to 10.
Recommended this month (For Fluent Readers)
A Year Down Yonder
Sakes alive, Peck can draw interesting characters! Wise, exuberant, and slyly heartwarming, Mary Alice's story of her stay at Grandma's house is filled with moonlit schemes, romances both foiled and founded, and a whole parade of fools made to suffer in unusual and always hilarious ways. This Newbery Award Winner is one GREAT book for folks 10 and up...and I'm including adults!
Hedgie Awards for 2003 the Best Read Aloud Books
Best Read Aloud Picture Book for 2003
A Story for Bear
Open your heart and imagination to this magical fantasy about friendship and reading...
When a young bear finds a scrap of an old letter, he is so curious about the mysterious marks that he searches out their source - a cabin in the woods. There he meets a young woman and is mesmerized by the sound of her voice. Though he cannot understand her words, he returns every day to hear the woman's stories of sailors, goddesses, and far-off lands.
Best Read Aloud Chapter Book for 2003
The Sands of Time
When Michael Hoeye sent me THE SANDS OF TIME at the beginning of the summer, I couldn't wait to read it. Having been a fan of Hermux and his pals after Michael's first book, TIME STOPS FOR NO MOUSE, I was thrilled to receive this special gift in the mail. What I didn't know was that I was about to read the most exciting and original adventure story to cross my desk in many, many years. If it is possible, THE SANDS OF TIME surpasses its predecessor. Perhaps it is because it deals with uncovering a past civilization that it grabbed me so...or maybe its just that Michael turned up the heat on this one. Or maybe it is simply because we already know the characters that Michael is given the freedom to set our minds on fire with a fantastic and glorious adventure. THE SANDS OF TIME has the great balance of good and evil. It struggles to right past wrongs. It is filled from cover to cover with mystery, adventure, humor and beauty. Ultimately, however, THE SANDS OF TIME tackles something far greater: Hermux must decide that discovering the truth about his civilization's past, no matter how awful, is far more important than maintaining the comfortable lies he has known all of his life. This is a profound book. Grab yourself a copy!
Reading Tip From Hedgie
Since we just picked the Hedgie Awards, we thought it would be appropriate to once again, emphasize reading aloud. It doesn't matter what age (some of our teachers and parents believe you should read to children before they are born!). From the youngest children to teenagers, reading aloud to/with them will help them become life long readers, improve their reading and listening abilities, and will help you maintain a connection with them as they grow and develop outside interests. Set a regular time (bedtime is good), and READ TO YOUR CHILDREN! For more information on reading to children, see Why You Should Read to Your Children.
What? Another Book Report?!
Our
Grade level reading lists can
help you and your children choose the right books.
Great Books for Me Too?
Research has proven how important it is
to model reading to children. Now
at Hedgehog Books we've made that even easier. Check out our
Techie's Grown-up Books Page.
How to Cook at Tart Reading this book was the most fun I've had in a long time. It somehow finds the ability to combine sensuality (you'll love the descriptions of food and its preparation), insight (excellent depiction of marriage and our society's transient obsessions), humor, and even a little murder mystery thrown in. I read this in one sitting, and knew before I finished the first page that this was going to be a good one.
Have you got a question for Hedgie?
Don't forget our "
Ask a Teacher " page. Hedgie's
professional teaching staff is there to answer all of your literary questions.
Hedgie loves to help!
Hedgie's Friends
Be sure to visit all of Hedgie's friends!
By shopping at
www.greatergood.com a percentage
of your purchase can be donated to the charity of your choice including The
Breast Cancer Site, Hunger Site, and The Rainforest Site. At
www.ebates.com you'll get back
cash with every purchase you make from Hedgehogbooks.
Until next month,
Hedgie
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