Stories for Kids: Peanut Butter and Brains by Joe McGee

This post contains affiliate links.  All opinions are my own.  I have not been compensated by the author or publisher for this review - we just loved the book and want to share!

Stories for Kids brings you the best children's books out there so you can spend less time searching and more time reading.  Enjoy! 

Ninja is into all things spooky at the moment - zombies, vampires, bats, you name it.  So when we hit the library last week and he saw Peanut Butter & Jelly Brains by Joe McGee it was a no-brainer - terrible pun intended!

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"Peanut Butter & Brains", Joe McGee / Charles Santoso, Harry N. Abrams, Publisher

Reginald isn’t like the other zombies who shuffle through Quirkville, scaring the townspeople and moaning for BRAINSSSSS! The only thing Reginald’s stomach rumbles for is sticky peanut butter and sweet jelly. He tries to tell his zombie pals that there’s more to life than eating brains, but they’re just not interested. Will Reginald find a way to bring peace to Quirkville and convince the other zombies that there’s nothing better than PB&J?  Debut author Joe McGee and up-and-coming illustrator Charles Santoso have created a delicious tale about being true to yourself that will make readers hungry for more.

McGee's humorous take on a zombie who just doesn't fit the mold had my kids in fits of giggles, and illustrator Charles Santoso's artwork is perfect - the vivid colors, the convincing (but not too scary) zombie hordes, and sweet Reginald who just has to get his hands on a peanut butter & jelly sandwich!    What a fun, unique read-aloud!  We were hooked from the start.  Team Reginald all the way!

Ninja loved this story of peace & peanut butter loving zombie Reginald so much he immediately went into costume mode.  We cut up an ripped old pair of pants and used a dot marker to add the stripes for Reginal's shirt.

Then added a jelly-stained lunch-bag and a single shoe to become Reginald!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Brains is a story you're sure to read over and over again.  Just stay close to the kitchen--you'll be craving a peanut butter & brains jelly sandwich!

Best,

M

7 Ways to Love Hiking with Your Kids

This blog uses affiliate links - I may earn a small commission on any purchases you make through links featured in this post.  Thanks!

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We love hiking!  There's so much to see, learn and do on the trails.  Hiking with little ones can be challenging, though, and a little bit of planning goes a long way to ensuring a fun trip for everyone.  Here are some tips I've learned while hitting the trails with little ones to make sure I'm growing little wilderness lovers and avoiding trail meltdowns:


Start Small

You want locations that have short trails, clear paths, and mild terrain.  Your little hikers should be able to navigate independently, allowing them to see, smell and touch nature on their own level.  You'll be much more likely to finish a short trail, which allows kids that sense of accomplishment - the "we did it!" moment - that can get lost when you pick a more intense trail and end up needing to turn back

Look for Trails with "Wow"

Show them nature's awesome factor.  Choose a trail with a stream, waterfall or pond.  Be on the hunt for seasonal features, like spring flowers blooming, tadpole & frog season, or autumn's awesome multi-colored leaves.  We have some trails with cool croppings of glacial rock that get the kids climbing, touching and making up names and shapes for their bouldery pals.  Get those kiddos "oohing" & "aahing"!

Pack Light  

We're all guilty of overpacking when traveling with littles.  I sometimes wish I had a luggage cart for all the supplies that "I might NEED though!"  It's fine to leave the full contents of your house in the car, but when you get out on that trail, do it with the bare essentials - water, keys, phone, a diaper, a few bandaids, ointment & some wet wipes, and a few lightweight snacks like trail mix, granola bars, and applesauce packets.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time, and Be Loose With It!  

Hiking with kids is much slower than going it solo.  You want it that way --  it's less about distance and more about learning to enjoy the journey.  Be flexible about how far you want to go -- maybe your kids will spot something a few steps in that grabs their attention, and that's great!  We once stopped minutes into a hike and spent most of our time exploring a couple of fallen trees that were teeming with moss and mushrooms and bugs.  By the time we turned and went back to the car, we'd hiked for maybe a total of 100 yards, but they'd engaged, asked some great questions, and truly enjoyed their time in nature - definitely a win.

Take Plenty of Rest & Refreshment Breaks  

Stop often to hydrate, have a quick snack, reapply bug spray/sunscreen, make a note or picture in your journal, and explore what's right under your feet at a given moment.  The goal is to pause before your kids are tired or hungry or thirsty  -- keep them feeling fresh and they're sure to go farther, stay interested, and learn more.

Add Activities to Get Your Kids Thinking and Working Together
There are plenty of short activities you can break for that will make rest time awesome.  You can draw your own trail maps, take leaf and bark rubbings, or create land art on the trail for the next hikers to stumble on.

Harness Your Kids' Natural Curiosity with a DIY Exploration Kit

Give some of that precious pack real estate to tools that will help your kids delve deeper into the parts of nature they find interesting - things like a small pair of binoculars, a plastic container for looking closer at specimens like cool leaves, a scoop of pond water, bugs and more, a magnifying glass, and a small notebook with pencil and crayons.  I picked up our supplies on Amazon and they get a real workout on our adventures:

Happy Trails!

M

Welcome!

I'm Megan, a thirtyish mom, wife, domestic engineer, unexpected homeschooler, and curator of happiness.  I'm constantly inspired, curious, and looking for adventure.  I'm also a bit disorganized, very easily distracted, and a fan of putting off until tomorrow what I don't feel like doing today.  I love starting a new project.  I very rarely finish a project.  And I'm okay with that -- it's the journey, right?

My partner in crime is the Builder, my teenage sweetheart, husband, parenting co-pilot, handyman, voice of reason, backseat driver and so much more.  We have three wild and free kids -- Rocker is 13, Ninja is 5, and Sassafras is 2.  (Yes these are my corny interweb pseudonyms.  Don't want to totally embarrass the troops with my lame tales!

Please join me while I attempt to awe you with our adventures and misadventures in family, homeschooling, adventuring, keeping house, parenting, being super married and in looooove, trying to get and stay healthy and whatever else happens to be on our plate.  I hope you'll stick around so we can get to know each other better!

M