September 29, 2014

Cowboys, Indians, the Pony Express and the Wild Wild West

It's the last Monday of September and that means it's time for a new theme for the Poppins Book Club. Last month we explored the future with the theme "When I Grow Up...". Did your child answer that question with the words "I want to be a cowboy!" or "I want to be a Cowgirl!"? If so then they are on the path to our theme for this month! It's all about the Wild Wild West...

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I had grand plans for activities this month...I mean, what a fun theme, right? But with the death of my aunt, I lost the week I was going to be working on it. So this post is going to just be some great Wild West themed storybooks that we read!

by John Frank

If you are looking for a book that brings hilariousness, THIS one is sure to do it! The boys were cracking up at the story and the illustrations and quoting lines from it all day long after we read it.

This is the story of "Grizz Brickbottom, the toughest cowboy ever to drive a herd of cattle across the open range." Grizz realizes one night after dinner (Fried boots and lizard gizzards) that they are missing something out here with his three friends. Something that will help them get a bit more refined...for he's tired of his friends using their "fingers to clean their teeth and pick their noses."

Did I mention I have boys who found this book hilarious?

There was the word "dang" in a few times, but I just left it out as I read...it WON'T detract from the story at all. You also won't be able to read it without adding a bit of western twang to your voice!

by Roy Gerrard
This is a cute book following Buckskin Dan and his pioneer friends as they pursuit new pastures on the Oregon Trail. The story is written in rhyme making it a fun one to read aloud. 

by Glen Rounds

Have you read any of the Mr. Yowder books? These are great books for reading aloud with their pen and ink illustrations and tall tales. This one is no different. Mr. Yowder was minding his own business when one afternoon a little snake wiggled into his camp. The snake was excited to discover that not only did he like snakes, but he SPOKE the language of snake as well. Mr. Yowder encourages him to make something of himself--even giving him body-building exercises and before you know it, he's become the largest snake on the Great Plains! See what happens when they go off on their amazing adventures together!

retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola

We are fans of Tomie dePaola and enjoy other books that he has written. He has a gift for words and his illustrations are beautiful. We enjoyed the journey he took us in this book as he explored the Native American legend of the Indian Paintbrush.

We also explored a few non-fiction books for this theme...

by Cheryl Harness

This is an excellent book for giving a history of the incredible Pony Express and what a great thing it was for our country. The illustrations just make it come alive and it's jam packed with information about the Pony Express.

by Ann Graham Gaines

A few years ago we were fortunate to be able to go to Texas and tour the Alamo. I enjoyed returning there with this book about the life of Jim Bowie. There are a lot of photographs and maps and other tidbits about the life and times of Bowie.

by Karen Bornemann Spies

It was only fitting that we look through a book about Buffalo Bill Cody since he has come to simple all things Wild West! We enjoyed all the tidbits of photographs, side notes and other information that this book had to offer.

So what activities were we going to do? 

I hope that you can get some great ideas for books from these that I've shared and that you enjoy an exploration into the Wild Wild West for yourself!

Wild West Learning Bundle Giveaway!

Every month the Poppins Book Nook group will be offering readers a chance to win a brand new storybook or product that ties in with our theme for the month. This month one lucky cowpoke will strike gold and win a bundle of fun for the theme of the Wild West.  This bundle will include a copy of the storybook Westward Ho!: An Activity Guide to the Wild West (Hands-On History) and one Wild West Toob. So mosey down to the corral for your chance to win today!

Entrants must be 18 years or older and reside in a country that receives U.S. Postal mail. This giveaway is brought to you by the company Enchanted Homeschooling Mom who is owner and founder of the Poppins Book Nook. By entering this giveaway you are also acknowledging that you have read and agree to all of the Rafflecopter terms & conditions as well as Enchanted Homeschooling Mom's disclosures found here {http://enchantedhomeschoolingmom.org/disclosures/}.  Just enter the Rafflecopter below to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by to check out our Wild West fun! I hope you will considering seeing what some of my fellow co-hosts have shared for the month!

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ 3 Dinosaurs ~ To the Moon and Back ~ Planet Smarty Pants ~ Farm Fresh Adventures ~ Growing in God's Grace ~ Chestnut Grove Academy ~ Learning and Growing the Piwi Way ~ The Usual Mayhem~ Preschool Powol Packets ~ Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ Teach Beside Me ~ Life with Moore Babies ~ Kathy's Cluttered Mind ~ Are We There Yet? ~ Our Crafts N Things ~ Hopkins Homeschool ~ ABC Creative Learning ~ Joy Focused Learning ~ P is for Preschooler ~ Laugh and Learn ~ A Mommy's Adventures ~ Inspiring 2 New Hampshire Children ~ World for Learning ~ Ever After in the Woods ~ Golden Grasses ~ A glimpse of our life ~ Journey to Excellence ~ Happy Little Homemaker ~ Little Homeschool Blessings ~ Raventhreads ~ Tots and Me ~ As We Walk Along The Road ~ Stir the Wonder ~ For This Season ~ Where Imagination Grows ~ Lextin Academy ~ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ School Time Snippets ~ Peakle Pie ~ A Moment in our World ~ Every Bed of Roses ~ Finchnwren ~ At Home Where Life Happens ~ The Library Adventure ~ Embracing Destiny ~ Day by Day in our World ~ Our Homeschool Studio ~ A "Peace" of Mind ~ Thou Shall Not Whine ~ SAHM I am ~ eLeMeNo-P Kids ~ Simple Living Mama

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Do you have a Wild West themed post sharing books or wild west activities? We'd love to see them! Just link them up here!

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1 comment:

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