Things to do 

If you love to read, whether you’re 8 or 80, here are a few extra ideas for a rainy day. There are plenty of rainy days in England and America, so I thought it might be worth sharing some of our book-related favourites.

1. Write a letter and post it

This is the Post Office in the village where Roald Dahl lived while he wrote most of his books.  Write a letter to your favorite author and tell them why you like their book, what made you laugh, or cry or what did you see of yourself in that book, or not see. Or tell them how it showed you something new, what it showed you - a piece of the world you'd never seen before.  And you never know, lots of authors write back. The ones that are alive at least.

2. Start a little library

Little libraries are a thing. They are all over America and the UK and they make people smile. You can start one easily, either find a space that needs rejuvenating, like this old phone box in Cornwall or build your own. There are kits you can buy on line, or host a car boot sale/yard sale and fund raise for the basic materials you would use to design your own. It can be simple or wildly original.  

Look here for inspiration: littlefreelibrary.org

3. Create a 3-D picture book illustration 

I'm not sure if this image is clear enough, but this is a scene from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.  If you look closely you can see the fluffy truffula trees, a little stump with the Lorax himself on it, some Bar-ba-loots and a pair of Swomee-Swans.  What you need: an old cardboard box, cotton balls, paints, glue and some Model Magic. Or get creative with whatever is in your recycling bin. Using your hands to create imagery can help to clarify details and accidentally lead to new ones.

 I'd like to credit this posting to the magical Mrs. Walsh and my son's old Kindergarten class.