Walk Your Dog Month

January is a great month to kick start a new habit that you can continue all year round.   Wouldn’t it be great to start two or at least kill two birds at the same time? Along with Vegan January and making New Year’s Resolutions, did you know January is Walk your dog month?

For a dog owner every month is Walk Your Dog month, but if you are a dog owner January is a great month to add an extra walk or go for a longer walk.  With Christmas a distant memory and with the cold weather and those January blues to deal with – it can be tempting to put off walking your dog, but it may be precisely what you and your dog need.

In both the US and the UK people and animals are becoming overweight and obese therefore if you think this description fits you or your dog, before commencing extra activity please consult your doctor or vet.

So, what are the benefits of walk your dog month?

• Bonding time with your dog
• Great way to exercise for both you and your dog
• Improves mental well-being for both you and your dog
• Meet other people and their dogs

So, what can you do?

In case you think walking your dog will become boring try these tips:

• Change your routine (your walk route)
• Walk your dog with style (i.e., buy your dog a new lead, or buy yourself a new outfit)
• Teach your dog some new tricks (take the time to teach your dog some tricks while out for a walk)

So, what is stopping you?

For ideas on how to do it right see here:

https://www.rover.com/blog/january-is-walk-your-dog-month/

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Children’s book of the week: The Last Chip by Duncan Beedie

Our children’s book of the week is The Last Chip by Duncan Beedie. It’s a heart-warming tale with some affectionate illustrations featuring the city of Bristol. 

We’ve taken a look around and found some lovely resources online all about this lovely story. Take a look and have a go! 

1. Storytime and drawalong with Duncan Beedie 
   
   

Duncan Beedie not only reads the story, he also treats his audience to a drawing tutorial over on YouTube

2. Printable pirate headband for kids 

There’s a rather fierce pirate seagull in the story – and this is a good excuse to make a pirate headband.  

 

3. Pigeon printable craft 

We like this printable craft activity for its sensitive portrayal of a pigeon.  

4. Drawalong with Duncan Beedie 

Another chance for kids to learn to draw with Duncan Beedie! 

5. Paper plate pizza craft  

Inspired by a search for food in the story, children can adapt this pizza-themed activity and create a plate of their own favourite food.

Recommended Reads

This week’s Book of the Week is The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway was born on the 21^st July 1899, this week marking his 121^st birthday. We have put together a list of similar titles for you to look through and enjoy.

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

The Patel family decide to sell their zoo in India and sail to Canada with a few remaining animals. Suddenly, tragedy strikes in the form of a horrendous storm, leaving the Patel’s son Pi as the sole human survivor. However, Pi is not alone in the ocean; a fearsome Bengal tiger has also survived the storm. The pair must learn to trust one another over the coming months if they are to last their voyage.

 

 

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald’s most famous work, The Great Gatsby, has been heralded as a modern American classic. When young and impressionable Nick moves in next door to extravagant millionaire Gatsby, he is drawn into a series of events leading to catastrophic consequences. Gatsby spares no expense in his attempts to win over childhood love Daisy, now married to old-money brute Tom Buchanan, and Nick can only bear witness to his friend’s downfall.

 

 

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

Originally written in Portuguese, The Alchemist has become an international bestseller. It is an allegorical novel, following the life of an Andalusian shepherd named Santiago who dreams of finding treasure in the pyramids of Egypt. Believing his dream to be prophetic, Santiago journeys to Egypt to seek his fortune. There, he experiences love, loss, and adventure in a powerful and moving tale.

 

 

If Beale Street Could Talk, by James Baldwin

Set in Harlem in the 1970’s, Baldwin’s classic is a love story following the lives of Fonny, a sculptor, and Tish, the book’s narrator. When Fonny is falsely accused of rape, Tish, 19 and pregnant, must help their families win justice for her lover. Past and present mingle to form a passionate and powerful novel, widely regarded as an essential read for our time.

All of these books are available to download from our cloudLibrary here.  All you need is a RBKC library card and if you are not a member, don’t worry,  just click here – it’s completely free to join and use our resources.