Mimi S First Mardi Gras

Mimi and her parents enjoy the color and excitement of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and observe many traditional aspects of the celebration.

Colorful illustrations of the rich cultural celebration re-create the look and mood of Carnival.

Mimi visits her cousin Jean-Paul during the celebration of Cajun Mardi Gras in Louisiana.

This text presents a compilation of the best of ideas from a group of library science graduate students, providing creative and engaging programs geared especially for children ages 0–12. What are the concepts, activities, and topics that will hold the attention of today's children? And what are the best ways to provide a valuable learning experience while they're having fun and being entertained? Many of the most original, creative, and wildly effective ideas in storytime are contained in Storytimes for Children, a collection of fresh and vibrant programs created to be relevant, interesting, and fun for today's youngest generations. This collection of themed storytimes includes suggestions for opening and closing sessions; crafts and activities; songs, poems, fingerplays, and movements; as well as the accompany literature. Several of the included storytimes comprise a series of programs, allowing for related activities that build upon each other. The text is organized into six chapters, each prefaced by an introduction that clarifies the strengths of the programs within. Each chapter covers a highly targeted age range to give practitioners the ability to easily choose the most appropriate storytimes for any given audience.

Learning and fun go hand-in-hand with these thematically organized story time programs that are linked to adorable, edible crafts. There are kids' cookbooks and there are books with story time suggestions, but no book has combined the two—until now. Story Times Good Enough to Eat!: Thematic Programs with Edible Story Crafts brings these elements together in programs that will engage kids and make every story time special. Both a manual and a recipe book, Story Times Good Enough to Eat! offers thematic programs for major holidays and seasons and includes programs on popular animals and other themes as well. It is designed to educate children by having them listen to the story, then reinforcing the lessons of the story by creating an edible craft to go along with it. Every theme in the book includes a suggested titles list, a brief overview of the program, and a complete recipe and instructions for making the corresponding snack/craft, from yummy school bus cupcakes to mouth-watering sugar cookie sombreros for Cinco de Mayo.

If you are searching for ideas to teach social studies in fun and meaningful ways, 50 Ways to Teach Social Studies is a book that provides a plethora of ideas of practical lessons connected to real-world topics that will save the busy teacher time and effort. The activities in this book are housed under themes and include content connections (civics, history, geography, economics), guiding questions, and literacy connections. From community, primary sources, and music to food, visual media, and experiential learning, this book will inspire you to make connections in your own environment to expand the teaching of social studies.

When artist Luz-Maria Lopez was growing up in Honduras, her grandmother would tell fantastical bedtime fables about their Mayan ancestors. This story focuses on the creation of the first humans and why it should be that no rich man will enter the gates of heaven unless he treats all who serve him-the finger people-with love and kindness. This fable for young readers is accompanied by colorful Mayan-style illustrations.

"An engaging and informative book. It is a charming narrative, as accessible to twelve-year-olds as to us ancients. For one realizes soon enough that the authors know exactly what they are doing: telling the truth about the archeology and the traditions of Louisiana Indians." Walker Percy Louisiana Indian Tales vividly recreates the struggles and triumphs of the state's first inhabitants. Dating back to 10,000 b.c. when the Paleo-Indians occupied the area and huge woolly mammoths and mastodons roamed the land, these poignant stories are based on archaeological evidence and historical knowledge traced through modern-day findings. As archaeologist Dr. Ben Dominique and his young friends Richard and Rob soon discover while on an expedition in the first story, Louisiana is a state rich in Indian culture. Together the trio unearth the proud, industrious, and resourceful life-styles of the many cultures that contributed to this state's fascinating history. The tales in this collection for young readers focus on many tribes from around the state-the Tchefuncte, Choctaw, Chitimacha, Caddo, Houma, and Bayougoula.