Category: Children’s Books

Almost Mango Season!

Posted by Chris Oler on

April and May is Mango season in Thailand! One of the best things we’ve tried is mangoes with sticky rice. Our friend Yung told us about it, but we didn’t actually eat it while we were there. It was maybe the only thing we didn’t eat!

Yung, Molly, and Michael at a floating market.

Mangoes with sticky rice is just what it says. The “sticky” part of the rice comes from coconut milk and some sugar. A friend of Yung’s Dad always says it “melts in your mouth,” especially with the fresh mangoes in Thailand.

Get your parents to try one of these recipes!

Thai Table

Epicurious

 

[Author note: When our contributor described this dish, he repeated a few times how good it was. The “melts in your mouth” quote is direct from him, but we can’t reproduce how he said it: lips smacking, eyes closed, arms raised, and the look of relish on his face would convince anyone this is a dish to try.]

Yummy quinoa!

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Have you ever had quinoa (pronounced keen-wa)? It is one of my favorite grains. Quinoa comes from the Andes mountains, and Michael and I tried it when we were in Peru. Here is a yummy recipe that you can make with your family. Try adding your own favorite flavors as well!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups quinoa
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup canola, olive, or vegetable oil
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • ½ of a white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn (frozen, canned, or fresh)
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, and garlic. Once mixed, add in cooked quinoa and stir. Add in black beans, corn, peppers, and onions, and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Store in the refrigerator.

Animals in Australia

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Michael and I saw such cute and unique animals when we went to Australia. There was lots of sea life, and of course kangaroos and koalas, but also some animals I’d never seen before. We saw cute little echidnas (pronounced eh-KID-na), which are also called spiny anteaters. They are prehistoric animals and one of only 2 mammals that lay eggs. We also saw quokkas, which look like really small kangaroos – but they can climb trees! They’re about the size of a house cat, and they are very friendly with humans.

Echidna small

Capybaras in Rio

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Check out these unusual animals! They’re called Capybaras and Michael and I saw them when we went to Rio de Janeiro. They’re so cute and playful, but they’re actually the largest rodents in the world! They live in forests and near water, and some people actually keep them as pets.

 

Amazing Painting Elephants!

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Welcome to my second theme week – animal week! This week we’ll be sharing some of Michael’s and my favorite animals from around the world.

Something we saw in Thailand that was SO cool was painting elephants! The elephants hold the brushes in their trunks and paint pictures. The money they raise by selling the pictures goes to help save the elephants. Check it out on YouTube!

Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai

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My last, but definitely not least, post for Garden Week is Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai. Talk about beautiful! Yuyuan was started way back in 1559 and has huge rocks and even caves. My favorite part is the “Inner Garden,” which has ponds and Chinese-style pavilions. Different sections of the park are separated by walls that look like dragons!

I hope you enjoyed all these gorgeous places during my first theme week. Next week look for another fun surprise theme!

Yu Yuan Gardens Small

 

Botanical Gardens in Rio

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Michael and I loved our trip to Rio and can’t stop talking about it! One of my absolute favorite things to see there was the Botanical Gardens. There are 6,500 species of plants and animals — you see new things everywhere you go! And 140 different kinds of birds, like toucans, hawks, and araras, the beautiful colorful parrots. Michael loved the monkeys in the gardens. There are also tons of sculptures and fountains, and a Japanese garden area. There are so many beautiful and amazing things to see in this world!

Botanical Gardens w Birds Medium

Rosenborg Castle Gardens in Copenhagen

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Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities! Right in the city is Rosenberg Castle, with it’s beautiful gardens called “Kongens Have” (it translates in English to “The King’s Garden”). The gardens are beautiful, but also really fun. They have a garden maze, tons of flowers, lots of sculptures and statues, and an awesome puppet show theater! Plus a castle – what could be better?!

EPSON scanner image

Awesome Garden in Sydney

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One of my favorite places to visit in Sydney, Australia, was the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It is an amazing Chinese-style garden designed by Sydney’s Chinese sister city, Guangzhou. It has a Dragon Wall, Tea House, and bamboo plants, but my favorite part to visit was this beautiful bridge and waterfall.

Chinese Garden Small