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NEW RELEASE
NEW for 2024!
Enjoy a delicious adventure as Azura and Afrodille travel around the European country of Italy. They enter a unique food competition requiring them to use communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and knowledge of Italian culture! Will the two mice win the competition? Readers of all ages will not want to miss this tasty title filled with facts and fiction to learn all about Italy’s history and culture.
About Two Mice in Ireland
Hop on a tour bus with two mice, Afrodille, Azura, and Madame Bella, as they visit the Emerald Isle of Ireland. Enjoy the adventures as the two mice search for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Will the two mice meet a leprechaun along their travels? And will the two mice find the mysterious pot of gold? Readers of all ages will not want to miss this adventure filled with facts and fiction to learn more about Ireland's legacy and legends.
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About Two Mice on Safari: Africa Bound
The iconic African Baobab tree, also known as the "tree of life," is withering away. From the rich fruit to the dense bark, every part of the tree is a valuable resource for Africa's people and animals. Azura and Afrodille, two adventurous French mice, and Madame Bella embark on a safari adventure to learn more about the African landscape and native animals. Along the way, the three travelers meet Africa's BIG FIVE animals, who lead them to the withering Baobab tree. What magical powers will the animals use to bring the Baobab tree back to life?
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About Two Mice in New York:
A Holiday Adventure
The star to the New York Rockefeller Christmas Tree is missing. Visitors come from all over the world to see the tree, and without the star, it will not be the same. Join two French mice, Azura and Afrodille, as they map out a plan in New York City to search for the missing star.
Along with Madame Bella, the two mice make stops at Times Square, The Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and the Empire State Building in search of clues to find the missing star. The traveling companions even enlist the help of Frankie, a cool subway rat, and his rat pack, to help in the search. Enjoy a holiday adventure in “The Big Apple” that celebrates Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve.
About Two Mice in London
Hop on a double-decker bus with two mice, Azura and Afrodille, as they see the grand sights of London, England.
Enjoy an adventure that takes the two mice from Paris to London to visit the famous sights of Big Ben, The London Eye, and Buckingham Palace. The two mice are reunited with Madame Bella and have a secret plan to meet the Queen. How will the mice get beyond the guards who protect the Queen’s palace to finally meet her?
Readers will not want to miss this London adventure filled with problem-solving and creativity.
About Two Mice at the Eiffel Tower
A mouse has never visited the top of the Eiffel Tower, let alone two mice. Join Azura and Afrodille as they take a special tour of Paris, France. Azura and Afrodille create a plan to see the entire city from the top of the famous landmark, but will it actually work?
Enjoy an adventure that incorporates communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration skills.
About the Author
Donna Dalton
Donna Dalton is an educator with 40 years of school experience. Donna currently lives in Manakin Sabot, Virginia, with her husband, Bob, and her sweet dog, Bella. She is a mother and grandmother who loves to travel.
When retired, she wrote her first book, Two Mice at the Eiffel Tower, based on a visit to Paris over 20 years ago. Donna has built upon her travel experiences to write her second book in the Two Mice travel series, Two Mice in London. Since then she has written her third book, Two Mice in New York: A Holiday Adventure, her fourth book, Two Mice on Safari, and her fifth book, Two Mice in Ireland. Her newest book, Two Mice in Italy, was written during her 2023 travels with her family to Italy.
Visit www.2-mice.com for lessons and educational resources for both books.
About the Illustrator
David Pfendler
David Pfendler, a corn-fed Ohio native, was a one-time premed student and fashion designer. His images are created digitally, yet maintain a loose, hand-drawn feel. He has a fresh, graphic style that is well-suited for editorial and advertising. One of his great loves is working on childrens' books and graphic novels. The story is always the catalyst for his creativity and signature style.
Collaboration
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Exploring the world can start in your classroom. Use Google Earth, a free resource from Google, to find Italy's hidden wonders and gems. Azura, Afrodille, and Madame Bella visit many sites in Italy, including Rome, Vatican City, Pisa, Florence, and Venice. Invite students to create a travel brochure about Italy, assigning each group of students a different location. Have students describe the exciting new places they have discovered and present their tour to each other or to another class. Of course, read Two Mice in Italy to kick off this project!
21st Century Educational Activities
Use Two Mice in Italy
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21st Century Educational Activities
21st Century Educational Activities
Use Two Mice at the Eiffel Tower
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Collaboration
Have students sit in a circle and give the students pictures of activities to do while in Paris, France. The first person begins a story that incorporates whatever happens to be on their assigned photo. The next students continue the story incorporating their picture. Pictures may include a visiting a museum, taking a big bus tour, eating lunch in a sidewalk cafe, riding a bike down the narrow streets of Paris, and more.
21st Century Educational Activities
Use Two Mice in London
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Critical Thinking and Communication
1. Group students into three teams.
2. Identify the three problems that Azura and Afrodille encountered when trying to meet the queen. Make a photocopy of each of the problems from pages in the book and put each problem in the center of a piece of bulletin board paper.
3. Have students move to one of the three problems and discuss how the two mice could have successfully navigated that problem to turn it in to a successful solution that would allowed the two mice to meet the Queen. Have students write down their alternative solutions to the problem on the bulletin board paper.
4. Have students review problem and then present their alternative solutions to the class.
21st Century Educational Activities
Use Two Mice in New York
to Engage Students
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Communication
Each year, New York City hosts an event for the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree featuring a program of song and dance. Work with your classmates to plan your kickoff event for your own classroom tree (see next slide). What entertainment would be featured (consider songs, poems, creative dance, etc.)? Consider putting on a talent show for parents and guests highlighting your class tree and the holiday season (including Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas, and New Years).
21st Century Educational Activities
Use Two Mice on Safari
to Engage Students
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Communication
Many of the animals in Africa are endanger of extinction. Have students research this topic to learn more about how and why some species are endangered. Have students discuss how they as a class can support a worthwhile conservation charity and make a plan to do so within their class or school.
21st Century Educational Activities
Use Two Mice in Ireland
to Engage Students
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Creativity and Culture
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What student doesn't love painting rocks? Students can explore the Blarney Stone, its meaning, why tourists kiss the Blarney Stone, and even videos of tourists kissing the Blarney Stone...quite the adventure! Then students can decorate a rock to remind them of all they learned about Ireland. Scholastic has these simple directions for children to make their own Blarney Stone!
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Here's a picture of me, the author, kissing the Blarney Stone on our recent trip to Ireland...it's not as easy as it looks! And here's another picture of my family (see the dedication to my family in the book) giving a thumbs up after we ALL kissed the Blarney Stone.
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