Activities | Picture Book Parenting

Welcome to 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK SEVEN

How to participate in Picture Book Club …

Get the suggested books from the library or bookstore (local or online). See 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB: COMPLETE LIST OF BOOKS for the list of books suggested for each week.
Before reading each of the weekly books to your child, READ FIRST “Things to Think About.”
Read one or both books to your child as many times through the week as your child wants to hear them and you have time to read.
Consider doing whatever activities you think are appropriate for the age and maturity of your child from “Making the Story Come Alive.”

WE WELCOME FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR PARTICIPATION. YOU CAN LEAVE A COMMENT BY USING THE “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.

PICTURE BOOK BY DOG by Michael Relth

(a story about friendship and family)

Dog was a lost dog for a long time. Finally, some caring people picked him up and took him to a warm, dry shelter. But he still wished for a special friend and a home. One day someone picked Dog and took him home. Dog needed to learn many things about living with people. His new owner taught him everything he needed to know. They became the special friends he had been longing for. They became a family.

Things to Think About

Pets show that they like their caregivers. For children, this means a lot of “I like you.” and “I want to be with you.” types of messages coming from the pet.
Pets give attention to the child enthusiastically. And, regardless of mistakes the child may make – pulling a tail, forgetting a meal, or showing up late – he can still depend on being accepted by the pet. This is comforting for the child. It is unconditional love or no-strings-attached love, and it fosters strong friend and family relationships between people and pets.
The pet and the child are equal participants in the relationship. Sometimes the pet shows love first which invites the child to give love back. Sometimes the child shows the love first which invites the pet to give love back.
As the child/pet relationship grows stronger, children can develop a sense of responsibility for the pet.

Making the Story Come Alive

Ask your child:
- What does she think it would be like to have a pet (or having a pet, if that is the case)?
- What would be (or is) fun about having a pet?
- What would be (or is) yucky about having a pet?
- What will she be able to do (or is able) to help take care of a pet?
Ask your child how he would want (or does want) his pet to act—busy, quiet, fast, slow, playful, lovey, etc.?
Ask your child what he thinks it was like for Dog when he was taken from the shelter to someone’s home.
If you have a pet, ask your child whether he thinks your pet is part of the family. How can he tell?
“A dog is man’s best friend.” Ask your child if he agrees with that statement and why.
Have your child draw a picture, make up a dance or song, or make a sculpture showing friendship between a person and a pet.
Ask your child who he considers some of his best people friends to be. Ask him why he likes to have them as friends.
Share with your child who your people friends are and what you like about having them as friends. Share stories about any ups and downs that may have happened with your friendships and how you dealt with them so you could stay friends.

__________________________________________________________

A VIOLIN FOR ELVA by Mary Lyn Ray

(a story about exploring new things)

In A VIOLIN FOR ELVA, Elva wanted a violon, but no matter how much she asked for one as a child, her parents said no. Elva never gave up on the idea of playing the violin. Even without a violin, she pretended she was playing one and getting ready for a recital. Although Elva never had a violin as a child, when she was all grown up, she still dreamed of having a violin. When Elva as an adult finally bought herself a violin and began exploring, she felt bold enough to try different ways to make the violin sing. Elva expected to improve as she kept practicing, but she didn’t. “So, Elva snapped the case and put away her violin.” However, Elva was determined to play her violin so she started and stuck with lessons until she played in her first recital and found she could make music after all – her long-held dream.

Things to Think About

Kids naturally explore new things. This is how they take in new information, develop a love of learning, and become more independent and confident in themselves.
Children begin exploring new things as early as 6- to 18-months old as they creep and crawl, pull everything down, open every drawer and cupboard, and eat with their hands.
The job of adults is to encourage children to explore while making sure they are safe and the important things in the household are protected.
Kids focus on exploring strongly when they begin elementary school and as they begin middle school. They want to try out every new thing they hear about (play all the sports, try out every musical instrument, and dabble at all sorts of hobbies).
By exploring a special interest kids can determine what they are good at and what sparks their dreams and imagination. Without that exploration, interests can become just a memory and perhaps an unfulfilled wish.
Exploration requires boldness, confidence, and creativity, all things that will be necessary for your child to become a successful, happy adult.
Kids often start a lot of things, but do not always finish them. Nonetheless, they need plenty of different opportunities to find that thing that “sticks.”
When something a child wants to explore doesn’t turn out to be all that he or she expects, she can become discouraged, so it is important that she understands the responsibilities that go with the opportunity to explore new things.
- Kids need to feel free to jump around from activity to activity. That is how they find that thing that means the most to them. However, “middle-jumping” should be discouraged.
- Middle-jumping means that because adults pay the money and make the time to support children’s “try outs,” they need to finish all the lessons paid for. They can jump out of the activity at the next sign up, but not in the middle.
- Middle-jumping means if children become a member of a team, they need to meet their “promise” to their team members and not ruin the experience for others by jumping off. They can jump off the team at the end of a season and never join again, but not in the middle.

Making the Story Come Alive

Ask your child if there is a musical instrument he wishes he could play – or some other skill he wishes he could learn.
Tell your child about things you wanted to explore when you were a child and what it was like to get or not get that opportunity.
Ask your child what she thinks it was like for Elva to be able to finally be able to play the violin.
Ask your child if there is a something he wishes he could learn to do?
Tell your child about something you wish you could learn to do. Talk about what you might do about that.

Welcome to 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK SEVEN

How to participate in Picture Book Club …

Get the suggested books from the library or bookstore (local or online). See 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB: COMPLETE LIST OF BOOKS for the list of books suggested for each week.

Before reading each of the weekly books to your child, READ FIRST “Things to Think About.”

Read one or both books to your child as many times through the week as your child wants to hear them and you have time to read.

Consider doing whatever activities you think are appropriate for the age and maturity of your child from “Making the Story Come Alive.”

PICTURE BOOK BY DOG by Michael Relth

(a story about friendship and family)

Things to Think About

Pets show that they like their caregivers. For children, this means a lot of “I like you.” and “I want to be with you.” types of messages coming from the pet.

The pet and the child are equal participants in the relationship. Sometimes the pet shows love first which invites the child to give love back. Sometimes the child shows the love first which invites the pet to give love back.

As the child/pet relationship grows stronger, children can develop a sense of responsibility for the pet.

Making the Story Come Alive

Ask your child:

What does she think it would be like to have a pet (or having a pet, if that is the case)?

What would be (or is) fun about having a pet?

What would be (or is) yucky about having a pet?

What will she be able to do (or is able) to help take care of a pet?

Ask your child how he would want (or does want) his pet to act—busy, quiet, fast, slow, playful, lovey, etc.?

Ask your child what he thinks it was like for Dog when he was taken from the shelter to someone’s home.

If you have a pet, ask your child whether he thinks your pet is part of the family. How can he tell?

“A dog is man’s best friend.” Ask your child if he agrees with that statement and why.

Have your child draw a picture, make up a dance or song, or make a sculpture showing friendship between a person and a pet.

Ask your child who he considers some of his best people friends to be. Ask him why he likes to have them as friends.

Share with your child who your people friends are and what you like about having them as friends. Share stories about any ups and downs that may have happened with your friendships and how you dealt with them so you could stay friends.

__________________________________________________________

A VIOLIN FOR ELVA by Mary Lyn Ray

(a story about exploring new things)

Things to Think About

Kids naturally explore new things. This is how they take in new information, develop a love of learning, and become more independent and confident in themselves.

Children begin exploring new things as early as 6- to 18-months old as they creep and crawl, pull everything down, open every drawer and cupboard, and eat with their hands.

The job of adults is to encourage children to explore while making sure they are safe and the important things in the household are protected.

Kids focus on exploring strongly when they begin elementary school and as they begin middle school. They want to try out every new thing they hear about (play all the sports, try out every musical instrument, and dabble at all sorts of hobbies).

By exploring a special interest kids can determine what they are good at and what sparks their dreams and imagination. Without that exploration, interests can become just a memory and perhaps an unfulfilled wish.

Exploration requires boldness, confidence, and creativity, all things that will be necessary for your child to become a successful, happy adult.

Kids often start a lot of things, but do not always finish them. Nonetheless, they need plenty of different opportunities to find that thing that “sticks.”

When something a child wants to explore doesn’t turn out to be all that he or she expects, she can become discouraged, so it is important that she understands the responsibilities that go with the opportunity to explore new things.

Kids need to feel free to jump around from activity to activity. That is how they find that thing that means the most to them. However, “middle-jumping” should be discouraged.

Middle-jumping means that because adults pay the money and make the time to support children’s “try outs,” they need to finish all the lessons paid for. They can jump out of the activity at the next sign up, but not in the middle.

Middle-jumping means if children become a member of a team, they need to meet their “promise” to their team members and not ruin the experience for others by jumping off. They can jump off the team at the end of a season and never join again, but not in the middle.

Making the Story Come Alive

Ask your child if there is a musical instrument he wishes he could play – or some other skill he wishes he could learn.

Tell your child about things you wanted to explore when you were a child and what it was like to get or not get that opportunity.

Ask your child what she thinks it was like for Elva to be able to finally be able to play the violin.

Ask your child if there is a something he wishes he could learn to do?

Tell your child about something you wish you could learn to do. Talk about what you might do about that.

Past 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB postings:

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