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

Sharon Lovejoy calls this treasure trove of crafts, recipes and activities “a natural outgrowth of the way I have always lived and interacted with children.” Many of the ideas and projects originated from her journal notes and sketches. Who could resist a “Faeries’ Tea Party” where Heart- and Star-Shaped Faerie Sandwiches and Button Pie appear on the menu? Or building the title cottage for a toad and collecting leaves and flowers for a 3-D collage? More than 130 activities encourage an exploration of both the natural world and a child’s imagination. Clear instructions, illustration and abundant photos make each project inviting, and a list of “ingredients” makes them manageable. “The book is about unplugging from electronics and plugging into adventures, projects, discoveries and the simplest pleasures of childhood,” says Lovejoy, “watching shooting stars, following animal tracks, creating art, and keeping family history and traditions alive.” (Ages 6-10, adult)  - Kirkus Reviews  ( Kirkus Reviews  )
      
         
       
       Make leaf rubbings, blow jumbo bubbles, bake Moon Pizzas and Granny-ola in a handmade solar oven, grow a snack pot of radishes and carrots, create a firefly lantern, and on a rainy day make rainsticks.  Illustrated with evocative photographs and the author’s watercolors, this magical book shows how to do 130 activities that connect grandmothers and grandchildren through nature—in the kitchen, the garden, and the art room.  Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars  is more than an activity book; it’s an interactivity book. It’s about being curious, about being adventurous, about noticing and really seeing things, about instilling a sense of wonder. Sprinkled throughout are Mrs. Lovejoy’s inventive grandparenting ideas that help make every visit a memorable one, filled with simple joys and discoveries that will have grandchildren coming back again and again.