Introducing a story in celebration of *Mai* Birthday!! ~ featured in MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“When’s My Birthday?” by Julie Fogliano, Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Book Synopsis and Review

As a child, one of the hardest days of the year to wait for is your birthday! Some of the most important questions in a kid’s life, no matter what time of year: “When’s my birthday? How many more days until my birthday? Is it my birthday yet?” And it’s completely understandable~after all, it’s the one day of the year especially just for you~ a whole day to celebrate *you!* Unless, like me, you stretch it out and make it last for a whole birthday week! Flip through  this read aloud, as the young girl plans her upcoming birthday, from invitations and presents to party attire. The excitement builds with each turn of the page as the child’s persistent peppering of birthday questions *When is it? Where is it? How many more days?* grows steadily more intense. If you and /or your little one is a birthday~lover, this is the perfect read aloud to hype up the special day!

This week, we have a special *birthday* themed read aloud because~~~ this Sunday, it’s *Mai* Birthday! Just like most children, I love my birthday, so I wanted to include MaiStoryBook in the festivities with one of my favorite birthday books. My own birthday countdown started at the beginning of the month~ and with my birthday at the end of the month… there were many days on my countdown, 27 days to be exact! As of today, Friday, there are only 2 more days!! Do you love your birthday as much as I do? Well, in this week’s read aloud, be prepared for an ultimate birthday countdown!

Vocabulary List

• Winter (p. 3) the coldest season of the year- in some places, it snows!
• Spring (p. 5) the season after winter, when it starts to warm up and the flowers begin to bloom
• Invited (p. 18) asking someone to come to your party
• Helmet (p. 19) a hard hat that protects your head
• Cape (p. 19) a long piece of fabric or clothing that you tie around your neck and hangs behind your back

Themes/Main ideas

• Calendar talk: Use the theme of birthdays to talk about months, days of  the week, and use the calendar to figure out how long until your birthday!
• Exciting things are hard to wait for! Be patient, it’ll happen! What are you looking forward to on your birthday?

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “When’s My Birthday?” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

Subscribe: MaiStoryBook Youtube Channel for additional read aloud videos!

Follow: MaiStoryBook on Vimeo for additional read aloud videos

*Celebration Cupcake* Craft

One of my favorite parts of birthdays~ the food! All of my favorite dishes ~*birthday girl requests!* plus, the desserts of course! Cookies, cakes, ice cream, and cupcakes galore! I love sampling all the sweets~ so one of my favorite birthday treats= a variety box of cupcakes. Cupcakes- the perfect mini cake to satisfy your sweet tooth and still leave room for more! From cinnamon churro and birthday cake, to the classic red velvet and vanilla, cupcakes are my go-to birthday treats. Pair them with a scoop of ice cream and toss some candles on top= we have the perfect birthday dessert! For this week’s craft, create and decorate your very own celebration cupcake! Even if your birthday isn’t anytime soon, the beauty of cupcakes, and any sweets, are that they can be enjoyed year round. Whip out the glitter glue, sparkles, and stickers, and create your dream cupcake~* Prepare for an afternoon of sweet treats and sprinkles!

Materials

• Construction paper (at least 3 different colors- I used green, brown, and purple)
• Yellow construction paper for candles
• Pipe cleaners cut in half (however many for how old you are)
• Art Decorations: glitter glue, puffy paint, stickers, markers, crayons
• Tape
• Glue
• Scissors

Directions

• Pick a color paper for the *cup* part of your cupcake. Trace out a trapezoid shape and cut it out.
• Layer your next two color papers so that when you cut them, you have the same shape. Trace out a cupcake “muffin top” for the *cake* part of your cupcake. Use the *cup* part to help measure how big the cake part needs to be. Cut it out.

• From the two pieces you just chose, choose one color to be the cake and one color to be the frosting.
• Take the frosting piece and draw a wavy line, splitting the piece in half horizontally. Cut along the wavy line and keep the run top part of the piece.
• Tape the cake to the cup and glue the frosting onto the cake to create a complete *cupcake*

• For the candles, cut out mini flames from the yellow paper, and tape them to one end of the pipe cleaners.
• With your scissors, make holes at the top of the cupcake, as many holes as candles that you need.

• Poke the bottom of the pipe cleaner through the hole, and twist it to attach it to the cake.
• Bend them accordingly so that the flames face forward.
• Time to Decorate!~ use the glitter glue, puffy paint, stickers, and colors to decorate with sprinkles and other goodies!

Enjoy Your *Celebration Cupcake* Craft!

• Use you cupcake as a reading buddy as you re-read the story.
• Share your cupcake with a family member or friend to help retell the story, or share each other’s birthday plans!
• Use your cupcake as birthday decor and add to the festivities! ~ Or use it to build excitement during your own birthday countdown!

*~Overall, have fun creating and engaging with your own *Celebration Cupcake* Craft,  and I hope you and your little ones indulge in some sweet-treat delights!  – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary  – or post on FaceBook to share your photos of your own *Celebration Cupcake* Crafts and Creations, and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear from you!~*

*Check Back on Next Friday for our New Reading Adventure*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*