15th December National Cupcake Day

It is Cupcake Day in America on the 15th December. In Australia, Cupcake Day is on the third Monday in August and it is a fundraiser for the RSPCA.

Whenever you decide to celebrate it, it is a day to make cupcakes! Kids love cooking things that they can eat.

Use a book such as:

There are other picture story books about cupcakes and some of them even include a recipe. Go to the library and look for:

19th May World Baking Day

World Baking Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in May each year. This day is dedicated to the art of baking and encourages people around the world to bake and share their creations with others. This day is meant to show people just how much fun it can be to make a cake or some cookies. Baking can be a great way to spend time with family and friends.

Baking is not only a fun and creative hobby, but it also has numerous benefits for your mental health and wellbeing. Here's a few benefits:

• Baking can be a stress-reliever and help you to unwind.

• It can boost your self esteem and confidence as you learn new skills and have success.

• Baking can be a social activity, allowing you to do it with others and build relationships.

So many children's picture books include a recipe, meaning that if you want to,  baking can happen as a result of reading the book. See these:

And if you can't bake a cake, bake a story!

5th June Gingerbread Day

It is Gingerbread Day! Not Gingerbread House Day. That is on 12th December. Gingerbread is 

often associated with Christmas because it is ideal in cold weather, but really you can cook, 

decorate and eat it any time of the year.

Gingerbread is a sweet and spicy cake-like biscuit that is traditionally made with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses. It has a rich and warm flavour. Gingerbread has a long history and has been enjoyed for centuries in many different cultures. If you can find First Catch Your Gingerbread by Sam Bilton you will be well informed about all things - gingerbread.

My children loved making gingerbread men or gingerbread shapes. I think they just enjoyed using rolling pins and cookie cutters. If you have a young child raid your Maisy collection for:

So now to celebrate find a recipe for gingerbread and read The Gingerbread Man or any other book with gingerbread. 

From Minds In Bloom

You should have no trouble locating a traditional version of  The Gingerbread Man.

Our library has these:

What ever you choose, make sure it has all the great repetitive refrains and onomatopoeia so the children can join in.

Now you can explore all the 'spinoffs'!

There is a series by Laura Murray and Mike Lowery which includes:

• The Gingerbreadman Loose in the School     

• The Gingerbreadman Loose at Christmas

• The Gingerbreadman Loose on the Firetruck

 • The Gingerbreadman Loose at the Zoo

 • The Gingerbreadman and the Leprechaun Loose in the School

Another gingerbread series by Lisa Campbell Ernst includes:

• The Gingerbread Girl

• The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers 

Author illustrator Jan Brett has three books:

•Gingerbread Baby; Gingerbread Friends  and Gingerbread Christmas. 

Online there is a myriad of activities to accompany these books.

And all the extras:

•  Georgie the Gingerbread Fairy by Tim Bugbird

• The Library Gingerbread Man  by Dotti Enderle

• Tough Cookie  by Edward Hemingway

 • How to Catch a Gingerbread Man  by Andy Eckerman

•  The Gingerbread Man 2 : What Happened Later?  by Stephen Dixon

• Hansel and Gretel's Gingerbread House  by Sue Nicholson

• Everyone Wants a Bite of the Gingerbread Man by Anthony Pinto

• Little Robin and the Delicious Gingerbreadman  by Elaina Moon

• The Gingerbread Star by Anne Fine

And if that's not enough, explore the ninjabread man...

• Kick! Jump! Chop! The Adventures of the Ninjabread Man by Heather Ayris Burnell

• Nanny Pastry and the Nimble Ninjabread Man by Gemma Clatworthy

• The Ninjabread Man by C.J.Leigh and Chris Gall

4th October International Taco Day

The 4th of October celebrates the traditional Mexican icon known as a taco. The taco has travelled far and wide becoming a fast food staple all over the world.

A traditional Mexican version of the sandwich, a taco is a tortilla stuffed with filling. Usually made of corn or wheat, the tortilla can be filled with beef, chicken, vegetables, pork or seafood and served with cheese, cilantro or onions as garnish. 

Do we need a day to celebrate tacos? There won't be many books about tacos in the library. Wrong. There are more than sufficient for a taco display.

Just recently in a library lesson with a Year 1 class, we had a vote...which do you prefer, tacos or pizza? It was very close. Both were popular. This vote came about because my Year 1 students are besotted with the Pizza and Taco series of books. They are always OUT of the library and this annoys students who just have to read the next one and can't find it instantly. The students 'sell' them to each other. I didn't need to do anything, just make sure the next one arrived as soon as it was available.

There are currently four titles and the next is due early next year.

They are an hilarious young graphic novel series about Pizza and Taco, two best friends, with lots of toppings. They are by Stephen Shaskan. They are a sure-fire success with newly independent readers!

Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri have two picture books which feature tacos and they too are popular in the library. They come with toys which is always a bonus for my students because they love to take home a book and toy together.

Then there are several stand alone picture book titles too.

• It's Raining Tacos! by Parry Gripp and Peter Emmerich

• This is a Taco! by Andrew Congelose and Josh Shipley

• Little Taco Truck by Tanya Valentine and Jorge Martin

Some nonfiction procedural texts

•  How to Fold a Taco  by   Naibe Reynoso and Ana Varela   

• Tacos! An Interactive Recipe Book  by Lotta Nieminen

• Tacos by Golriz Golfer

And then these two chapter books that are from popular series

• Stick Dog Gets the Tacos  by Tom Watson

• Max Meow Taco Time Machine by John Gallagher