Dynamic Duos: Word Fun Riddles and Crisscross Puzzles by Helene Hovanec is an interactive workbook that includes two types of puzzle games. Instructions for each of the two games is provided preceding the first puzzle and answers are presented at the back of the book. The first 25 puzzles are Word Fun Riddles. For this activity, you must compare the word in the left column with the word in the right, identifying which “extra” letter is in one of the words. The extra letter gets written in the blank.
K. Frances Carson’s Sir DoGoody Button and Fleabins the Great… Troublemaker is a collection of short stories recounting the adventures of Sir DoGoody, the Button’s family dog, and his partner in crime, Fleabins, the flea. Each day when Sir DoGoody retreats to his doghouse in the backyard, he pays a visit to Fleabins. Together, they explore many amazing rooms in the doghouse—the spy room, the pool room, and even the amusement park room.
Olivia’s First Christmas is a personalized story about a family eager to celebrate their baby’s first Christmas season. The proud mom and dad share Olivia’s first experiences, including photos with Santa, Christmas caroling, and decorating the tree.
The Happiest Cat in the World is a simple picture book with an important message. Throughout the book, the cat shares its ideas of freedom, including finding its own food, making shelter, and having kittens. The cat leads a supposed happy life, repeating “whenever I want, as much as I want”, with no fear of these freedoms being taken away. When paired with the author’s explanation of the book, the reader will learn that these ideas of freedom are only dreams, rather than reality.
The members of Mei Mei’s family are some of the most elegant fliers, but she dreams of having her own flying style. Daring to be different, Mei Mei sets out to explore how other creatures fly, taking notes and practicing their skills. Instead of being impressed with Mei Mei’s uniqueness, some of the other fairies laugh at her. A wise owl shares all of the ways different birds fly and why, leaving Mei Mei wondering what her unique way of flying should be.
Petunia loves to be perfect: in school, at dance class, and at home. When she overhears her classmates calling her “Petunia the Perfectionist”, she is elated. After all, who wouldn’t want to be a perfectionist? When Petunia tells her mom about her new nickname, her mom has an opposite reaction. She tries to explain to Petunia that it is okay to make mistakes, and in fact, they help us grow. Petunia, however, does not agree and continues to strive for perfection each and every day.
