Customer Reviews

Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars: Grandma's Bag of Tricks

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're a grandma or a mom (or even a nature-loving, kid-daffy grandpa or dad), you're going to be delighted by Sharon Lovejoy's latest book, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars. It is the ultimate Granny Handbook, designed especially for those of us who are lucky enough to have at least one small child to introduce to life in the kitchen, the backyard, and the garden.

Sharon Lovejoy has always helped us to work with our kids in the garden, from her delightful Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots to Sunflower Houses; Hollyhock Days; and A Blessing of Toads.

But Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars is special, because it is designed as a "manual" for grandmas, and Lovejoy has crammed it full of playful activities that even grannies without green thumbs can manage and kids will absolutely love. To whet your appetite, here is a short sampling from the six chapters: Faerie Mailboxes, Firefly Lanterns, No-Bake Nests, Be a Pumpkin Parent, Potato Volcanoes, and Worm Hotel.

Want more? How about these chapter titles? Preparing Camp Granny (lots of fine ideas, even if you're a long-distance granny). Or The Neighborhood Naturalist, Kids in the Kitchen, the Kitchen Garbage Garden (starts with an activity called "Learning from Leftovers"), Kids in the Garden, and Rainy Day Activities. Each chapter offers recipes (Moon Pizzas, anybody?), games, and activities--each one a learning opportunity for both granny and grandkid. And best of all, the book overflows with color photographs and Lovejoy's delightful drawings of bugs, plants, food toys, and faeries. Every page is a treasure.

In her introduction, Lovejoy notes that being a grandmother is "one of the truest and purest joys" of her life, for her grandchildren have given her the gift of "child-sight": "the ability to stop, hunker down, and see things through their fresh, young eyes and minds." In Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars, Lovejoy shares that gift with her readers, through her playful art and the creative, imaginative activities she suggests. "Grandmotherhood is a state of grace," she says, a place of wonder and child-like delight. Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars will help you and your lucky grandchildren find that place and enjoy it--together.

by Susan Wittig Albert
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Bought a first copy of this book for myself, and my children's active grandmother fell in love! She found so many sweet and simple ideas that kept my 3-year-old son busy outdoors with her for her entire visit. The book is wonderfully written, with beautiful photos, highly appealing layout, so fun to browse through. It also helped me save the tomatoes I'd overly-ambitiously (with new baby at home, that is) started indoors :) Loving this publisher. Have just bought another copy for myself, and 2 more for gifts for friends.

Length:: 3:40 Mins

Very interesting ideas to share with your children or grandchildren. Recommend it very highly.

Sharon Lovejoy wrote Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars: Grandma's Bag of Tricks for grandparents with a variety of activities and treats to share with their grandchildren. But this is much more than an activity book; from the suggestions that Lovejoy makes, it is clear that she must have had a wonderful relationship with her own grandmothers and that she's established strong bonds with her own grandchildren.

Lovejoy suggests ways to make your home welcoming, to prepare places that will make young grandchildren feel comfortable and special at the same time. From making special areas and activity spots to compiling baskets of books and bags for outdoor exploration to all sorts of child friendly recipes, Lovejoy shares her secrets.

The book is separated into "activity sections":

* Preparing Camp Granny
* The Neighborhood Naturalist
* Kids in the Kitchen
* Kitchen Garbage Garden
* Kids in the Garden; and
* Rainy Day Activities

While many of the proposed activities are well suited for families in the suburbs (with access to the outdoors), they can be adapted for public parks, neighborhood gardens and nearby beaches. It's a book that grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and even parents can use to find ideas and for advice. The book itself is clearly a labor of love with gorgeous illustrations, carefully selected activities, and even engaging photos of Lovejoy's four grandchildren. I highly recommend Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars: Grandma's Bag of Tricks for the activities and advice. I'll certainly use the suggestions to make my niece feel at home when she visits next.



For children ages 9-12.
ISBN-10: 0761150439 - Paperback
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; Original edition (February 4, 2010), 205 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

I can't put this book on the shelf because I keep finding new things to do and make in it's pages.
I own many of Lovejoy's books and even though I'm not a Grandmother yet, as a Mother it's useful
to mee too. I even bought one for my mother-in-law and a good friend for Mother's Day.

My mom lives pretty far away from both of her grandgirls. She was ecstatic to receive this as a gift. It has tons of cute ideas including some fun things for grandparents to do when their grandchildren don't live near by. It is better for kids 5 and up but there are some cute ideas. For the baking/cooking ideas, the recipes are pretty easy to adapt for kids with food allergies which is always nice. I highly recommend this as a gift to give grandma or grandpa some cute, fun ideas on how to create a meaningful experience with their grandchildren when they come to visit.

You do not need to be a grandma to enjoy the over 125 beautiful pictures, gardening projects and arts & crafts for both inside and outs. Create a firefly lantern or indoor "garbage gardens" and explore nature with your favorite young child. Be sure to check out the list of recommended items for every young gardener (all ages).

This book is chock full of wonderful creative ideas for old fashioned (pre-computer age) fun with children from two to twelve. If your little one is intrigued by nature, loves hands on activities or believes in fairies, this is the book for you. It's indispensible for Moms and Grandmas. Buy it, use it, and you'll quickly become their favorite Grandma! Amazon's price was far lower than I saw the book for elsewhere,too.

Wonderful book as are all of Sharon Lovejoy's books. Unusual, creative activities to do with children.