Growing a Reader: Kids' Books, Tips and More

 Peanut butter recipe easy to follow. Picture, 1982. Toronto Star Photograph Archive.

January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day!

Now I know that not everyone is going to want to celebrate January 24's "food holiday" because many people have an allergy to peanuts and some just don't like the taste of this sweet, sticky stuff (personally I have nieces that each fit in to one of those two categories!) but for those that do, there are ways to celebrate this nutty holiday nut-free.

Songs and Rhymes

Peanut butter sandwiches used to be a school lunch staple which might explain their popularity in children's songs and rhymes. And while not everyone can (or wants to!) enjoy eating them as much anymore, everyone can still have fun singing and dancing along to tunes like "Peanut Butter Sandwich", "Peanut Butter Jelly Time", and many more. (Sharon, Lois and Bram's version of "Peanut Butter" is my personal favourite PB and J song and it quite often makes an appearance in my food-themed TPL Storytimes.)

Fun and Games

Memory games like "I'm Going on a Picnic" encourage participants to remember a growing list of items related to a certain theme or activity. Each person in turn, recites the list of items that were said before them and then adds a new item to the list. This classic game is fun for the whole family but also works as a one-on-one caregiver and child activity or a solo creative writing exercise. And it can be easily adapted to be part of any "Peanut Butter Day" celebration.

Start by saying “I made a peanut butter sandwich with…" and then add the name of something that you would want to put on your sandwich. The next person would then say "I made a peanut butter sandwich with…" the thing that you said and something new that they would want to add. Keep going until you run out of things to add or the pretend sandwich is too big to fit in your mouth!

The game can be made more challenging by adding a numeric or alphabetical component to it. For example, the first person adds one of something, the second two, the third three, and so on. Or make it multiples of five or ten for added difficulty. And feel free to be as silly as you want to be! Imagine making a peanut butter sandwich with an apple, a banana, a chocolate, a doughnut and an elephant!

(And of course this game can be made totally nut-free too –just make any kind of sandwich that you like!)

Books and More Books

TPL has lots of books about peanut butter for anyone who want to learn more about its history, use it to cook or bake with it, or just read a story with peanut butter as part of the plot or even the main character.

Fascinating Food Facts

“Did you know it takes about 540 peanuts to make a jar of peanut butter?” or do you want to see a pictograph of how the peanut butter in your peanut butter and jelly sandwich is made?

Pizza, Peanut Butter, and Pickles (My Weird School Fast Facts) by Dan Gutman – Ages 7-11

Now You Know What You Eat by Valorie Fisher – Ages 6-10

Delicious Desserts

If you can safely enjoy peanut butter treats, why not try making Laura and Jess Tilli's "Peanut Butter Baked Bananas" and "Peanut Butter Meringue Cakes" or "Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream" and "Peanut Butter and Jelly Macarons" from the television show MasterChef Junior.

   
Baking (My Cookbook of…) by Laura and Jess Tilli – Ages 6+

Cakes (My Cookbook of…) by Laura and Jess Tilli – Ages 6+

MasterChef Junior Baking Book: Bold Recipes and Essential Techniques to Inspire Young Bakers – Ages 8+

Sensational Series

Peanut butter plays a part in some books from the popular series Fancy Nancy and Narwhal and Jelly…

Peanut Butter and Jellyfish by Jane O'Connor – Ages 4-7

Narwhal and Jelly Book 3. Peanut Butter and Jelly by Ben Clanton – Ages 5-8

…and peanut butter and jellyfish proves a popular pun as it is featured in several children's items in the TPL catalogue.

Capital Character

The main character in some of author Terry Border's books is literally “Peanut Butter" and photographs of a piece of bread that has been smeared with peanut butter and has wire appendages help to illustrate the stories and bring the character to live.

Big Brother Peanut Butter by Terry Border – Ages 3-6

Peanut Butter's First Day of School by Terry Border – Ages 3-6

So if you choose to celebrate it this January 24: "Happy Peanut Butter Day!" And if you consider yourself a peanut butter super-fan, don't forget to keep the celebrations going on March 1 for Peanut Butter Lover's Day and April 2 when we celebrate a classic food pairing on Peanut Butter and Jelly Day.

Now party on peanut butter people…