June Specials   First Fun with Spanish VHS Video - Follow Isabel and her family as they go about their day. Isabel's family does not speak English, so she will interpret everything for you! Based on the book, Usborne's First Hundred Words, this is an animated introduction to a foreign language that makes learning simple for young children and enjoyable for the whole family. Ages 2+, 40 minutes Video (out of print, limited supply): Spanish video #9535 $14.95 $7.50   Sale! Limited supply. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Audio CD by C.S. Lewis (performed by Michael York) - Open the door and enter a new world. Narnia ... the land beyond the wardrobe door, a secret place frozen in eternal winter ... a magical country waiting to be set free. Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old house. At first her brothers and sister don't believe her when she tells of her visit to the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund, then Peter and Susan step through the wardrobe themselves. In Narnia they find a country buried under the evil enchantment of the White Witch. When they meet the Lion Aslan, they realize they've been called to a great adventure and bravely join the battle to free Narnia from the Witch's sinister spell. One of the most highly respected fantasy novels ever written, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe can be seen as both an exciting children's adventure story and an allegory about faith. The story begins when the Pevensie siblings (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) escape the dangers of World War II-era London by relocating to the country home of family friend Professor Kirke. One day, while playing hide-and-seek, Lucy hides in an old wardrobe and finds herself transported to the world of Narnia. 4 hours/4 compact discs. Unabridged. #4786 $27.50 $18.99 One copy left. Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel. Thirty different "statistically average" families in thirty countries are profiled. Photographers lived for a week with each family; and at the end of the week, a photo of each family surrounded by all of their material possessions was taken outside of their homes. Statistical information accompanies each photo-essay, providing an opportunity to contrast the different levels of material wealth. Hardcover. 360 color photos. 255 pages. #4378 $39.95 $27.99  Sale! Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes by Nina Simonds, Leslie Swartz, Meilo So (Illustrator), Children's Museum of Boston. This wonderful book presents delicious recipes, traditional stories, and hands-on family activities associated with several major Chinese celebrations: The Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival, Qing Ming and the Cold Foods Festival, The Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Learn to make yummy sticky rice balls, make paper lanterns to decorate your house during the New Year, and read stories about ancient characters such as Qu Yuan. My daughter and I have been taking Chinese language lessons with another family, and one of the best parts of the class is learning about another culture. Just learning the language has been insightful, but our teacher has also introduced us to Chinese food, calligraphy, and traditions. It has been a terrific experience. If you would like to introduce Chinese culture to your family, Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats is an excellent resource. I also highly recommend a visit to a Chinatown. The Chinatowns in San Francisco and New York may be the best known, but other large cities have Chinese neighborhoods. When we traveled to Independence Hall in Pennsylvania, we also visited Philadelphia's Chinatown and dined at a lovely restaurant, which I found on the internet when planning our trip. We've visited Washington, D.C.'s Chinatown many times and had our first experience with dim sum there. The last couple of years we've even marched in the New Year's parade with a local kung fu school, and my husband and daughter have performed kung fu to an appreciative audience (so cool!) While the book is designed for ages 4-8, it a fun book for anyone wanting to learn about Chinese culture. It is ideal for families, especially since young children will need adult assistance with most of the recipes. Throughout the book are colorful illustrations and Chinese writing. The back of the book contains a list of resources and a pronunciation guide to Chinese . Ages 4-8. Hardcover, 80 pages. #9839 $21.00 $13.99 Sale! Multiplication and Division Game Board Book - Six colorful game boards packaged in one convenient book. Included games reinforce multiplication and division skills through engaging, hands-on play. Easy-to-follow directions get learners playing quickly. Use all three double-sided game boards at once with 2–4 players each. All playing pieces fit neatly in a built-in storage pocket. Ages 7-9 #1618 $16.95 $14.99 Sale! Wee Sing America: Songs of Patriots & Pioneers. 53 songs & quotes on a one-hour audio cassette. 64-page illustrated book with complete lyrics included. Sing along with Yankee Doodle, Pick a Bale O'Cotton, You're a Grand Old Flag & more. When our children were little, we used this recording to practice songs before attending a Flag Day event. It fit our need perfectly. Cassette: #7991 $9.95 $5.99   Sale! CD: #4374 $12.99 9.99 Sale!   top of page