Joyful Thinking Packet
Spring: Adventurous Animals
Audio Books
Reading aloud never gets old!
Enjoy some audio books while you eat lunch, paint the house, garden, or drive.
The Trumpet of the Swan
Written and Narrated by E.B. White
A high-flying adventure of Louis, a swan born without a voice who overcomes this difficulty by learning to play the trumpet. A story of a swan learning how to find his voice, make friends, and explore the world.
Hank the Cowdog
Written and Narrated by John R. Erickson
Guts, glory, danger, and sacrifice are all in a day's work for Hank the Cowdog, head of Ranch Security. This is a great series for younger listeners, especially those with a sense of adventure!
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Written by Rudyard Kipling
Narrated by Curtis Sisco
The tale of a valiant young mongoose who protects his human family from two murderous cobras lurking in the garden. A must listen!
The Inheritance Cycle
Written by Christopher Paolini
Narrated by Gerard Doyle
Set in the fictional world of Alagaësia, the novels focus on the adventures of a teenage boy named Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, as they struggle to overthrow the evil king Galbatorix.
Family Movie Night
Time to get out the popcorn and relax!
Watch these phenomenal movies that will make you laugh, cry, smile, and shout.
The Blue Bird (1940)
A naughty little girl (Shirley Temple) dreams she and her brother are sent by a fairy to find the bluebird of happiness. A beautiful story!
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
In this family film, the Robinson clan—mother (Dorothy McGuire), father (John Mills), and their three sons, Fritz, Ernst, and Francis—flee the reign of Napoleon to start afresh in New Guinea. When their ship gets damaged en route, the family takes refuge on a deserted island. The Robinsons learn to live in the wild, have various adventures and build an impressive house in a tree. However, while island life is full of excitement, the question of whether to return to civilization looms.
Charlotte's Web (1973)
The novel tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages praising Wilbur (such as "Some Pig") in her web in order to persuade the farmer to let him live.
National Velvet (1944)
When Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor), an equine-loving 12-year-old living in rural Sussex, becomes the owner of a rambunctious horse, she decides to train it for England's Grand National race. Aided by former jockey Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney) and encouraged by her family, the determined Velvet gets her steed, affectionately called "The Pie," ready for the big day. However, a last-minute problem arises with the jockey and an unexpected rider must step in as a replacement.
Old Yeller (1957)
While Jim Coates (Fess Parker) is off on a cattle drive, his wife, Katie (Dorothy McGuire), and sons, Travis (Tommy Kirk) and Arliss (Kevin Corcoran), are left behind on their Texas ranch. When a runaway dog named Old Yeller causes damage in one of their fields, Travis tries to drive him away. However, Travis and Katie both warm to Old Yeller when he saves Arliss from a bear attack. As Travis and the brave and faithful dog grow closer, concern grows about an outbreak of rabies.
Secondhand Lions (2003)
A shy adolescent boy, Walter (Haley Joel Osment), is taken by his greedy mother (Kyra Sedgwick) to spend the summer with his two hard-boiled great-uncles, Hub (Robert Duvall) and Garth (Michael Caine), who are rumored to possess a great fortune. At first, the two old men, both set in their ways, find Walter's presence a nuisance, but they eventually warm up to the boy and regale him with tall tales from their past. In return, Walter helps reawaken their youthful spirit.
The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1986)
A very beautiful and emotional film. This live-action film tells the story of a young, adventure-loving cat and dog as they find themselves accidentally straying from their farm in Japan. Milo and Otis start life together on a farm and spend their days exploring the barnyard and the surrounding countryside
The Jungle Book (1967)
In this classic Walt Disney animation based on Rudyard Kipling's book, Mowgli, an abandoned child raised by wolves, has his peaceful existence threatened by the return of the man-eating tiger Shere Khan. Facing certain death, Mowgli must overcome his reluctance to leave his wolf family and return to the "man village." But he is not alone on his quest: Aided by Bagheera the panther, and later by the carefree bear Balloo (Phil Harris), he braves the jungle's many perils.
Reading Time
No better way to spend free time than with a book! Take a look at all our book selections for grades 1-12.
By P.D Eastman
By Arnold Lobel
By Cynthia Rylant
By Arnold Lobel
By Syd Hoff
By C.W Anderson: This is the first of a series of eleven books and is Anderson's most well-known work. The book is about a little boy, Billy, and his pony, Blaze, who he receives as a birthday gift in this book. The adventures of Billy and Blaze revolved around proper care of the horse, while teaching a different lesson through each story
By Arnold Lobel: The framed illustrations help establish the fairy tale-like setting of a house near the woods on a snowy night. The implicit dangers of the cold and unknown world outside are offset by the comforting presence of Papa Mouse in his bathrobe, polka-dotted pajamas, and bedroom slippers.
By Ursula K. LeGuin: Mrs. Jane Tabby can't explain why her four precious kittens were born with wings, but she's grateful that they are able to use their flying skills to soar away from the dangerous city slums where they were born.
By Esther Averill: Jenny Linsky, the famous little black cat of Greenwich Village, has never been to school before. When her master, Captain Tinker, sends her to a boarding school in the country to learn the special knowledge of cats—manners and cooperation—she is a little afraid, among strangers, and so far from home.