School Age

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11 in January 2021: Book Club in a Bag. This week’s feature: Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson.

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In January, these featured characters included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8:
  • Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems)
  • Mindy Kim (Lyla Lee)
  • Yasmin (Saadia Faruqi)
  • Azaleah Lane (Nikki Shannon Smith)
    
• Ages 8-11
  • Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland)
  • New Kid (Jerry Craft)
  • Phoebe and Her Unicorn (Dana Simpson)
  • Shuri (Nic Stone)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmark)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

Phoebe and Her Unicorn Kit

The Phoebe and Her Unicorn Kit can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Most of this kit can be re-created simply using a printer, with the addition of extra items depending on your budget.

Want to use make a Phoebe and Her Unicorn Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the Phoebe and Her Unicorn kit is no different.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn Bookmark – All Books

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing all book titles here.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn Bookmark – Readalikes

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Readalike titles here.

The Phoebe and Her Unicorn readalike bookmark features these titles:

• The Amazing Crafty Cat by Charise Mericle Harper
• Bird & Squirrel: All or Nothing by James Burks
• Grumpy Unicorn: Why Me? by Joey Spiotto
• Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon
• Lights, Camera, Middle School! by Jennifer Holm
• Lumberjanes 1, Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters
• Mellybean and the Giant Monster by Mike White
• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Volume 1: BFF by Amy Reeder, Brandon Monctlare
• Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton
• Pacey Packer: Unicorn Tracker by J.C. Phllipps
• Pea, Bee, & Jay, Volume 1: Stuck Together by Brian “Smitty” Smith
• Peanut, Butter, & Crackers Volume 1: Puppy Problems by Paige Braddock

Phoebe and Her Unicorn Discussion Questions

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the discussion questions here.

The Phoebe and Her Unicorn Discussion Questions include:

• Are you more of a Phoebe or a Marigold Heavenly Nostrils?
• Phoebe was granted a magical wish when she rescued Marigold. If you had one magical wish, what would you wish for?
• Most of the Phoebe and Her Unicorn books are collections of comic strips. What makes this book different than other graphic novels you have read? 
• How does the friendship between Phoebe and Marigold change and grow throughout the series? How do you see that difference in the illustrations and the text?
• When the story starts, do you like Phoebe and Marigold equally? How does that change?

Phoebe and Her Unicorn Swag – 1″ Buttons

This bag also included 5 1″ Phoebe and Her Unicorn buttons. Download a printable PDF to make them yourself here.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn Crafts, Games, and More

This particular bag included three activities: a drawing guide, a unicorn bookmark craft, and a unicorn puppet craft.

The drawing guide borrowed heavily from the resources available on the Publisher website. Find more of those here.

Download the ready-to-print drawing guide here:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Unicorn Crafts

We also included the supplies to make a unicorn puppet craft and a unicorn bookmark. The two crafts needed a set of instructions, glue dots, a piece of white cardstock, and shared unicorn accessories sheets. Kids were encouraged to design their own unicorn pieces, but they could choose from the included pieces if they preferred.

Download the Unicorn Accessories sheets here:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Download the Unicorn Puppet Instructions here:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Download the Unicorn Bookmark instructions here:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11 in January 2021: Book Club in a Bag. This week’s feature: New Kid by Jerry Craft.

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In January, these featured characters included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8:
  • Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems)
  • Mindy Kim (Lyla Lee)
  • Yasmin (Saadia Faruqi)
  • Azaleah Lane (Nikki Shannon Smith)
    
• Ages 8-11
  • Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland)
  • New Kid (Jerry Craft)
  • Phoebe and Her Unicorn (Dana Simpson)
  • Shuri (Nic Stone)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmark)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

New Kid Kit

The New Kid Kit can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Most of this kit can be re-created simply using a printer, with the addition of extra items depending on your budget.

Want to use make a New Kid Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

New Kid General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the New Kid kit is no different.

New Kid Bookmark – All Books

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing all book titles here.

New Kid Bookmark – Readalikes

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Readalike titles here.

The New Kid readalike bookmark features these titles:

• American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar
• Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes
• Blended by Sharon Draper
• The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (graphic novel)
• El Deafo by Cece Bell (graphic novel)
• A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee
• Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds
• The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert
• Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai
• This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
• Twins by Varian Johnson & Shannon Wright (graphic novel)
• What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado

New Kid Discussion Questions

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the discussion questions here.

The New Kid Discussion Questions include:

• Which five words best describe New Kid?
• Why do you think Jerry Craft drew Jordan’s sketchbook drawings completely differently than the rest of the book?
• Have you ever been the new kid somewhere? How was your experience the same or different from Jordan’s?
• What makes being a new kid so challenging for Jordan?
• Jordan’s Tips for Taking the Bus (pages 56-57): Why does his behavior change—how he looks and dresses as he moves around? What is different in each panel?
• What does this book say about friendship? What makes a good friend?
• Which character do you identify with the most? Why?

New Kid Swag – Buttons

This bag also included a 2.25″ New Kid button. Download a printable PDF to make them yourself here.

New Kid Crafts, Games, and More

This particular bag only included one activity: make your own journal. Supplies included:

• Instruction Sheet (below)
• 3 sets washi tape
• 2 pieces cardstock (halves of 9 x 12 sheet, pre-punched)
• 20 pieces of printer paper (10 full sheets in half, pre-punched)
• 3 binder rings
• Colored Pencils (not pictured)

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11 in January 2021: Book Club in a Bag. This week’s feature: Wings of Fire Kit featuring the Wings of Fire books by Tui T. Sutherland

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In January, these featured characters included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8:
  • Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems)
  • Mindy Kim (Lyla Lee)
  • Yasmin (Saadia Faruqi)
  • Azaleah Lane (Nikki Shannon Smith)
    
• Ages 8-11
  • Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland)
  • New Kid (Jerry Craft)
  • Phoebe and Her Unicorn (Dana Simpson)
  • Shuri (Nic Stone)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmark)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

Wings of Fire Kit

The Wings of Fire Kit can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Most of this kit can be re-created simply using a printer, with the addition of extra items depending on your budget.

Want to use make a Wings of Fire Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

Wings of Fire General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the Wings of Fire kit is no different.

Wings of Fire Bookmark – All Books

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing all book titles here.

Wings of Fire Bookmark – Readalikes

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Readalike titles here.

The Wings of Fire readalike bookmark features these titles:

• Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
• City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda
• The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao
• The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
• Dragonfell by Sarah Prineas
• A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep
• Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
• The Last by Katherine Applegate
• The Revenge of Magic by James Riley
• The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
• The Wearle by Chris d’Lacey
• The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell

Wings of Fire Discussion Questions

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the discussion questions here.

The Wings of Fire Discussion Questions include:

• Clay is loyal, Starflight is smart, Tsunami is a protector, Sunny is an optimist, and Glory is gentle. Which dragonet is most similar to you?
• The original prophecy did not include a RainWing. How do the other dragonets feel about Glory? How do the dragonets relationship change over time?
• Clay believes that he is not a “naturally-hatched hero.” What makes him feel that he does not meet expectations? Have you ever felt that you did not meet expectations? Were you able to overcome those feelings?
• Think about the world where the Wings of Fire books take place. Can you summarize the way this world works? What are the main factions of dragons? What do you think about this place?
• The Wings of Fire books are tied to prophecies, fate, and destiny. Can the dragons escape their “destiny”? How do the dragonets feel about their destiny? What do you think—is your destiny written in stone, or do you have the ability to change your fate?

Wings of Fire Swag – Bookmarks

This bag also included four Wings of Fire bookmarks, printed on cardstock. Download a printable PDF to make them yourself here.

Wings of Fire Crafts, Games, and More

There are so many dragon activities, and so much to do with the Wings of Fire universe that it was hard to choose. Thinking about space, prep time, and budget, I focused on three activities: which dragon are you quiz, memory game, and flying dragon craft.

Wings of Fire: Which Dragon Are You? Quiz

I recreated the Wings of Fire dragonet quiz available in the Scholastic Wings of Fire Activities & Resources.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Wings of Fire Memory Game

Create your own Wings of Fire memory game. I left the pieces on one sheet for participants to cut out. The back of each square has the Wings of Fire logo.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Flying Dragon Craft

Make your own flying dragon craft with a straw, pipette, and some adorable dragon pictures.

Download the dragon images here:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

And the instructions here:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF here.

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11 in January 2021: Book Club in a Bag. This week’s feature: Azaleah Lane Kit featuring the Azaleah Lane books by Nikki Shannon Smith

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In January, these featured characters included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8:
  • Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems)
  • Mindy Kim (Lyla Lee)
  • Yasmin (Saadia Faruqi)
  • Azaleah Lane (Nikki Shannon Smith)
    
• Ages 8-11
  • Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland)
  • New Kid (Jerry Craft)
  • Phoebe and Her Unicorn (Dana Simpson)
  • Shuri (Nic Stone)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmark)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

Azaleah Lane Kit

The Azaleah Lane Kit can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Most of this kit can be re-created simply using a printer, with the addition of extra items (like animal figurines) depending on your budget.

Want to use make a Azaleah Lane Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

Azaleah Lane General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the Azaleah Lane kit is no different.

Azaleah Lane Bookmark – All Books

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing all book titles here.

Azaleah Lane Bookmark – Readalikes

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Readalike titles here.

The Yasmin readalike bookmark features these titles:

• Animal at Large by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Battle of the Bad-Breath Bats by David Bowles
• The Case of the New Professor by Steve Brezenoff
• Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro
• How to Test a Friendship by Theanne Griffith
• Isadora Goes to the Ballet by Harriet Muncaster
• Problem at the Playground by Courtney Carbone
• Sarai Saves the Music by Sarai Gonzalez
• Sasha and Puck and the Potion of Luck by Daniel Nayeri
• Scarlet’s Big Break by Melody Reed
• Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong by A.J. Low
• Superhero for President by Gina Bellisario

Azaleah Lane Discussion Questions

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the discussion questions here.

**Find some of these discussion questions (and more) in the back of each book.

The Azaleah Lane Discussion Questions included:

• General Questions:
  • Azaleah loves animals! What is your favorite animal? Where does that animal live in the wild?
  • Azaleah is the middle child; she has an older and younger sister. Are you the oldest or youngest child in your family? Somewhere in the middle? An only child? What is similar or different between your experience and Azaleah’s experiences?
  • Azaleah likes to solve mysteries! What did you do when something went missing around your house?

• Sample Story Questions: The Dramatic Life of Azaleah Lane
  • Who did you think was behind the problems at rehearsal? How did you know? Were you right or wrong?
  • At the end of the book, you learn who was behind all of the mishaps. What do you think their consequences should be?
  • Think about the problems that happened in the theater. Can you list them in order? Try using the book for help.

Azaleah Lane Swag – Stickers

This bag also includes a printable Azaleah Lane sticker, made on 2.5″ circle Avery label paper. Download a printable PDF to make them yourself here.

Azaleah Lane Crafts, Games, and More

Azaleah loves to solve mysteries, and she loves animals, so I included activities related to those two topics.

Azaleah builds an animal habitat diorama in the first book in the series. I purchased tiny animal figurines and included a mini animal diorama kit. I also included an appropriate animal habitat background as well as a half sheet with pictures of animal diorama inspiration on one side and books to research animal habitats on the other.

You could take this activity to the next level by providing more than one animal figurine, tiny trees, and more diorama supplies–it just depends how much you want to spend and how big your kits can be.

The inspiration and research half sheet:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the animal habitat research here.

The animal habitat backgrounds:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the habitat backgrounds here.

Azaleah Lane Detective Practice

In the first two Azaleah Lane books, Azaleah examines clues, finds evidence, and collects suspects to solve a mystery! In the kit, participants built their detective skills though simple riddles and puzzles.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Puzzles and Riddles book here.

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11 in January 2021: Book Club in a Bag. This week’s feature: Yasmin Kit featuring the amazing Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi.

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In January, these featured characters included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8:
  • Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems)
  • Mindy Kim (Lyla Lee)
  • Yasmin (Saadia Faruqi)
  • Azaleah Lane (Nikki Shannon Smith)
    
• Ages 8-11
  • Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland)
  • New Kid (Jerry Craft)
  • Phoebe and Her Unicorn (Dana Simpson)
  • Shuri (Nic Stone)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmarks)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

Yasmin Kit

The Yasmin Kit can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Most of this kit can be re-created simply using a printer, with the addition of extra items (like cardboard binoculars) depending on your budget.

Want to use make a Yasmin Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

Yasmin General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the Yasmin kit is no different.

Yasmin Bookmark – All Books

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing all book titles here.

Yasmin Bookmark – Readalikes

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Readalike titles here.

The Yasmin readalike bookmark features these titles:

• Camila the Baking Star by Alicia Salazar
• Charlie & Mouse by Laurel Snyder
• Don’t Throw It to Mo! by David A. Adler
• I Want to Be a Doctor by Laura Driscoll
• King and Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats by Dori Hillestad Butler
• The Lost Kitten by Katherine Cox
• My Family Adventure by Jacqueline Jules
• Nick and Nack Build a Birdhouse by Brandon Budzi
• Open Wide, Katie! by Fran Manushkin
• Party Problems by C.L. Reid
• The Perfect Gift by Paula Yoo
• Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom! by Kelly Starling Lyons

Yasmin Discussion Questions

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the discussion questions here.

The Yasmin Discussion Questions included:

• General Questions:
  • Look at the front cover. What do you think will happen in this story? Why do you think that?
  • What emotions did Yasmin feel in this story? Does it have a happy ending for her?
  • What happened first? Next? Then what happened?
  • What does Yasmin do when she is interested in something?
  • What have you learned about Yasmin’s culture? How is this similar or different to what your family does?
    
• Sample Story Questions: Yasmin the Explorer
  • What do you know about explorers? Do you think you would like to be an explorer?
  • How did your family travel to where you live now? Did your relatives come from another country?
  • Why is Yasmin excited to go to the market with her mom?
  • What symbols does Yasmin include on her map?

Yasmin Swag – 1″ Buttons

This bag also included a few pieces of Yasmin swag: five 1″ buttons. Download a printable PDF to make them yourself here.

Yasmin Crafts, Games, and More

Yasmin loves to explore her community, so my crafts and activities connect to exploration too! First, I included a set of play binoculars and materials to decorate them (stickers in this bag plus crayons in the overall larger envelope, to be used for all included kits).

I purchased white cardboard tubes online. I put two tubes next to each other, wrapped a rubber band around them, and added a strip of hot glue near the seam. I rotated the tubes until the hot glue was in between the two tubes, and left the rubber band on for a few minutes to make sure it dried. Then, I cut strips of yarn and hot glued the ends into the insides of the tubes. These are obviously not fully functioning binoculars, but they do help kids focus their eyes on just one item at a time.

I also included a half sheet with a Nature Scavenger Hunt on one side and recommended nature books on the other.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Nature Scavenger Hunt here.

Yasmin Map Kit

In the book Yasmin the Explorer, Yasmin draws her own map of her community. I like the idea of participants exploring their neighborhoods too, so I included two activities around this theme.

One was simply a blank piece of paper to use to draw your map (I had to keep something simple!):

Yasmin Draw a Map from Annamarie Carlson

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Draw a Map sheet here.

The other item was this cool make-a-town printable, filled with printed roads and buildings.

Access those at the Teach Beside Me blog.

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11 in January 2021: Book Club in a Bag. This week’s feature: Mindy Kim Kit featuring the amazing Mindy Kim by Lyla Lee.

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In January, these featured characters included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8:
  • Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems)
  • Mindy Kim (Lyla Lee)
  • Azaleah Lane (Nikki Shannon Smith)
  • Yasmin (Saadia Faruqi)
    
• Ages 8-11
  • Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland)
  • New Kid (Jerry Craft)
  • Phoebe and Her Unicorn (Dana Simpson)
  • Shuri (Nic Stone)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmarks)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

Mindy Kim Kit

The Mindy Kim Kit can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Most of this kit can be re-created simply using a printer, with the addition of extra items (like seaweed snacks) depending on your budget.

Want to use make a Mindy Kim Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

Mindy Kim General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the Mindy Kim kit is no different.

Mindy Kim Bookmark – All Books

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing all book titles here.

Mindy Kim Bookmark – Readalikes

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Readalike titles here.

The Mindy Kim readalike bookmark features these titles:

• Astrid & Apollo and the Soccer Celebration (Astrid & Apollo) by V.T. Bidania
• Dancing Queen (Jada Jones) by Kelly Starlong Lyons
• Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen (Jasmine Toguchi) by Debbi Michiko Florence
• Sadiq and the Explorers (Sadiq) by Siman Nuurali
• Sam Wu Is NOT Afraid of Ghosts (Sam Wu) by Kevin & Katie Tsang
• Snow Place Like Home (Diary of an Ice Princess) by Christina Soontornvat
• Some Pigtails (Lola Jones) by Jonathan Eig
• Summer in Savannah (Ana & Andrew) by Christine Platt
• Tie-Dye Disaster (Craftily Ever After) by Martha Maker
• Truman the Dog (My Furry Foster Family) by Debbi Michiko Florence
• Undercover! (Emma Is On the Air) by Ida Siegal
• Vera Vance, Comics Star by Claudia Mills

Mindy Kim Discussion Questions

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the discussion questions here.

The Mindy Kim Discussion Questions included:

• General Questions:
  • Mindy moved all the way from California to Florida and started at a new school. What do you think might be hard about being a new student?
  • Mindy really, really wants a puppy! Have you ever wanted a pet or something else special?
  • Mindy loves to celebrate her Korean heritage. Ask your grown-ups about your family’s culture. What traditions does your family have?
    
• Sample Story Questions: Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business
  • Mindy’s classmates think her lunch is strange. What kind of foods do you like that your friends might not?
  • Mindy makes her classmates pay for her treats if they don’t have something good to trade. How do you think the kids feel who don’t have any money or good trades?
  • At first, Mindy isn’t sure how to make new friends at her school. What advice would you give Mindy?

Mindy Kim Swag – Bookmark

This bag also included a piece of Mindy Kim swag: a bookmark (printed on cardstock). Download a printable PDF to make that yourself here.

Mindy Kim Crafts, Games, and More

First up: seaweed snacks! While I wasn’t able to try these myself (full registration means no extra materials), I’m pretty sure these are not as good as (and possibly nothing like) what you would get at a Korean market–but I’m on a budget, so Amazon prepackaged snacks it is. These particular snacks are available here.

Mindy Kim Recipe Booklet

Mindy’s dad enjoys cooking, so I also included a recipe booklet filled with Korean recipes and space to insert your own family favorites. Recipes are from the websites included in the physical book.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the recipe booklet here.

Mindy Kim Yut Nori Game

My second activity for the Mindy Kim kit is an adapted Yut Nori board game set. Yut Nori is a traditional board game played in Korea, particular during the Lunar New Year. Thank you so much to reader June Cho for talking me through creating these and sending along some great tips and links!

Game boards were printed on cardstock and laminated. The four playing sticks are jumbo craft sticks with red lines on one side and blue dots on the other.

Download the board game and instructions at the links below:

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Yut Nori board here.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF of the Yut Nori instructions here.

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11 this month: Book Club in a Bag. First up: Elephant & Piggie Kit.

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In January, these featured characters included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8:
  • Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems)
  • Mindy Kim (Lyla Lee)
  • Yasmin (Saadia Faruqi)
  • Azaleah Lane (Nikki Shannon Smith)
    
• Ages 8-11
  • Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland)
  • New Kid (Jerry Craft)
  • Phoebe and Her Unicorn (Dana Simpson)
  • Shuri (Nic Stone)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmarks)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

Elephant & Piggie Kit

The Elephant & Piggie kit has a few more materials than usual. I had planned an Elephant & Piggie Party over spring break 2020. Since the library closed, that party never happened, but most of the materials had been prepped (and were reused here).

Want to use make an Elephant & Piggie Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

Elephant & Piggie General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the Elephant & Piggie kit is no different.

Download Meet Elephant and Piggie.

Download Elephant and Piggie Readalikes.

The Elephant & Piggie readalikes bookmark features these titles:

• Baloney and Friends by Greg Pizzoli
• Cookie & Broccoli: Ready for School! by Bob McMahon
• Don’t Worry, Bee Happy by Ross Burach
• Friends Rock by Heather Ayris Burnell
• The Itchy Book! by LeUyen Pham
• Kitty and Dragon by Meika Hashimoto
• Let’s Have a Sleepover! by Norm Feuti
• A Pig, a Fox, and a Box by Jonathan Fenske
• See the Cat: Three Stories about a Dog by David LaRochelle
• Snail and Worm All Day: Three Stories About Two Friends by Tina Kugler
• Wake Up, Crabby! by Jonathan Fenske
• What About Worms!? by Ryan T. Higgins

Download Elephant and Piggie Discussion Questions.

The Elephant & Piggie Discussion Questions included:

• General Questions:
  • How do you know Elephant and Piggie are friends?
  • How does Piggie feel in our story? Have you ever felt that way?
  • How does Elephant feel in our story? Have you ever felt that way?
  • What was the problem in the story?
  • What happened first? Next? Then what happened?
  • How did they solve the problem?
    
• Sample Story Questions: A Big Guy Took My Ball:
  • What does it mean to be fair?
  • Why is it necessary to take turns and share with others?
  • Was it fair for Piggie to get angry with Gerald for breaking her new toy?

This bag also included two pieces of Elephant & Piggie swag: a button and a sticker. Download printable PDFs to make those yourself at these links:

• Elephant & Piggie Button
• Elephant & Piggie Sticker

Elephant & Piggie Crafts, Games, and More

Again, this kit pulled from materials I created for an in-person program that never happened, so it included more than usual.

Make your own Elephant & Piggie headbands! Print the Piggie outline on pink cardstock, and Elephant on grey cardstock. I also cut strips of 11 x 17 paper for the band (folded in half to fit in the bag).

Download Elephant & Piggie Headband Templates:

• Elephant Headband
• Piggie Headband

Complete simple Elephant & Piggie activities, mostly from the Mo Willems website, in activity booklet ready-to-print format. Download here.

And finally, my favorite item: make your own Pigeon book! Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Don’t Let the Pigeon Write a Book! Don’t Let a Pigeon Go Outside Without a Mask! The choices are endless!

And download here.