December 2016

Bink-and_Gollie

Bink and Gollie

by Kate DiCamillo

Meet Bink and Gollie, two best friends that are as different as they can be. One’s short, and one’s tall. One’s blonde, and one’s brunette. One loves outrageously brightly-striped socks, and one can’t stand looking at them! At least they both know how to compromise... and roller-skate! Join this mismatched pair as they battle their way through a “sock bonanza,” scale a mountain, and give a goldfish a marvelous new home. Bink and Gollie can accomplish anything as long as they’re together.

A Note from the First Lady:

Dear Read20 Book Club families,

Winter break is right around the corner, and the holidays can get very hectic! Routines often fly out the window in December with all the celebrations, travel, and out-of-town guests. As your family prepares for the holidays, be sure to keep kids engaged in learning and reading over winter break. Take advantage of this time to set aside school books and read for fun! Just twenty minutes of reading each day can help keep your child’s skills sharp.

Reading is one of the most enjoyable activities in the winter to help the cold season pass by quickly, and I am confident this month’s featured book will keep you entertained. Bink and Gollie shares the story of two best friends who seem to have nothing in common, yet somehow, they have a wonderful friendship.  This witty, imaginative, and adventurous tale of two precocious girls proves that friends don't always have to agree on everything. No matter where their roller skates take them, at the end of the day, Bink and Gollie will always be the very best of friends.

Keep up the great reading,

Crissy Haslam
First Lady of Tennessee

 

Family Activities

  1. Bink and Gollie are two friends that appear to have nothing in common, yet somehow, they have a wonderful friendship. They complement each other perfectly and find a way to compromise and meet each other halfway. Do you have a friend who has different interests, favorite foods, or talents from yourself? Describe your friends, listing the qualities that make them special and unique. How can friends who are different make sure to always get along?
  2. One thing Bink and Gollie never argue about is whether to have peanut butter sandwiches or pancakes, because they both agree on them being a terrific meal. Ask an adult to help you make Peanut Butter Pancakes, just like Bink and Gollie enjoy in the book.

    Peanut Butter Pancakes
    _______________________
    - serves 12
    1 cup flour
    2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
    1⁄2 teaspoon salt
    1⁄2 cup creamy peanut butter
    2 tablespoons sugar
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    1 large egg
    1 cup milk
    2 tablespoons milk
    _________________________

    - directions:

    In large bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
    In small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sugar and oil until smooth. Beat in egg, then milk.
    Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until blended.
    Lightly coat griddle or skillet with oil and heat it over medium-high heat.
    Drop batter onto the griddle and cook until tiny bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, then flip and cook a few minutes more.

  3. Make the most of travel time over your winter break. Turn travel time to or from a holiday get-together into an opportunity to practice reading. You can look for license plates from different states, try to find every letter of the alphabet on the license plates, or count the number of red (or white or green) cars you see. Read street signs and billboards you see along the way.
  4. After you finish the book of the month, visit your local library to stock up on your favorite books to read over winter break. Libraries may also have fun, free holiday activities throughout the month of December.