Summer Reading List: Part 2

We're so excited for next season at BACT, we can hardly contain ourselves  To tide us over, we're doing some summer reading to prepare.  Join us!

Here's part 2 of our Summer Reading List!

Beautiful Oops!

One of the most exciting pop-ups for young readers, Beautiful Oops! focuses on the creative potential of our mistakes.  If you've already read it, consider these as companion pieces: The Dot and Ish.  And teachers, don't forget to join the Beautiful Oops revolution, fostering creativity through mistakes!

Judy Moody

For fans of the Judy Moody and Stink series, Judy Moody and Stink and the Mad Mad Mad Treasure Hunt, will be quite an adventure.  If you've already read all nine Judy Moody's, don't forget to check out the Stink collections too!  Our favorites include Stink and the Attack of the Slime Mold and Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express.

Once you've run out of books, consider the classics Amelia Bedilia, and Beezus and Ramona.

Inside Out and Back Again


One of our new shows for middle graders, Inside Out & Back Again deals the the struggles of a young refugee, in this award winning debut novel.  After this read, check out Lai's second book, Listen Slowly, the story of a young girls vacation to Vietnam to learn about her family's involvement in the Vietnam War.  Both beautiful and poignant stories will lead to discussions about culture, heritage, and the importance of family.

So, what are you waiting for?  Hit the library or the book store, and start reading.  Next season will be here before you know it!

Summer Reading: Get Ready for Next Season

Finally, our 2017/2018 season has been announced!  We couldn't be more thrilled for our new home and new season of exciting shows for kids and parents alike!

Here's part one of our 2017 reading list to prepare the whole family for a season of Bay Area Children's Theatre fun!

The Rainbow Fish!




A favorite classic for anyone who loves a little sparkle and adventures under the sea!  If you're too young for Rainbow Fish, try The Rainbow Fish finger puppet edition! And for more Rainbow Fish adventures, check out Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar!




This classic sells one copy every thirty seconds world wide!  Looking for some companion pieces?  How about I love Mom with the Very Hungry Caterpillar--just in time for Mother's Day?  Or another Eric Carle gem, My First Book of Food, because it's never too early to become a Bay Area Foodie!

The Night Fairy



A longer read at 128 pages,  The Night Fairy as the question "what if a fairy loses her wings?"  If you're too young for The Night Fairy, author Laura Amy Schlitz just released her latest book, Princess Cora and the Crocodile last month.
 

Willy Wonka!


From the wacky mind of Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is one of his less terrifying pieces of kid lit.  Other less popular choices include Danny Champion of the World, and when the kids are ready to learn where all of these crazy stories originated, his memoir of sorts, Boy



Time to get reading, and check back soon for part two of our summer reading list!

More Learning! Fly Guy Facts and Fun

Flies are pets, not pests, according to our pal Fly Guy, so here are some resources for more fly learning fun!

If you're looking for an easy guide to breakdown various types of flies and their differences, buzz over to PestWorldforKids.org

If you're a Kindle reader, Fantastic Facts about Flies, is a free Kindle Unlimited read!


If you've flown through the Fly Guy series and are craving another picture book, check out I. Fly, an illustrated education about the awesomeness of flies.



Watch the growth cycle of flies with this awesome video!

And for those who just want a little more of Fly Guy, the Musical, here are the fly facts from the shows' closing number!

Fly Girl and Fly Guy are amazin’

Two creatures to pique your fascination

Since craving more information

Listen as we list Linnaean classifications

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Insecta!

Diptera!

Section: Schizophora

They’re flies! (Flies!)

They have compound eyes!

A thousand little lenses let ‘em see from all sides

Antennae!

Can smell things a mile away!

And scientists say that if conditions are great

Some flies can fly several miles a day

Yeah, the buzz that they make is the sound of their wings beating

They have sticky, sticky feet that let ‘em walk on the ceiling

And the hairs on those feet let them taste where they’re walking

But they don’t have teeth, so they can’t ingest solids

So they vomit on food, because their vomit is caustic

And they suck it back up with a straw-like proboscis

(Ewww!)

Fly Guy, Fly Girl, oh Fly Guy, Fly Girl, friendzies!

Fly Guy, Fly Girl, or Fly Guy, Fly Girl, friendzies!

Yeah a couple of kids and their pets who were flies

Copyright Austin Zumbro 2017

If these fly activities don't fulfill your fly-loving needs, you could always make your way to Fly Guy, the Musical again!  It's even better a second time!

Fly Guy's Favorite Dessert: Dirt Cake

Flies love gross stuff: moldy bread, rotten meat, and stale Oreo cookies.  Just one of the many things we humans don't have in common with our fly friends.  But, what if, just for an afternoon we could enjoy gross treats just as much as these bugs do?

Treat yourself to some afternoon grub with dirt cake!

Photo Credit: Food.com

The perfect treat for spring time, get your kid's psyched for Fly Guy, the Musical with this no bake, easy to make dirt cake!

Photo Credit: Food.com

Ingredients:

• 1 Oreo package--double stuff or flavored will lighten the color of your top soil, but add fun flavor to the mix!
• 1 16 oz. instant pudding package--chocolate will leave your dirt extra brown, while vanilla or banana will make for light colored layers
• 1 16 oz Cool Whip--full fat is best to create extra fluffy dirt.  Our try non-dairy Coco Whip for a slight coconut flavor!
• Gummy worms, or other fun treats to bury in the mud!
• Fun container--clean plastic pot, lined terra cotta pot, or just some cups for serving!

Photo Credit: Food.com

How to make no-bake dirt cake:

1. Mix pudding per box instructions.
2. Grind Oreos into a soil-like consistency.  If you don't have a food processor, try putting the Oreos in a Ziplock and smashing them for extra fun!
3. Separate pudding into two portions.
4. Mix one portion of pudding with equal portion of Cool Whip.
5. Start layering!  Layer pudding, Oreo crumbs, Cool Whip, and the pudding mix in whatever order you like, making sure to leave a thick layer of Oreo dirt on top!
6. Garnish with creepy crawlers and enjoy!

Don't worry, if you think you made too much dirt cake, leave it on the counter for a few days, and Fly Guy will finish it for you!

Get your tickets for Fly Guy, the Musical, before he flies away!