Welcome to our Second Week of Our Summer Book Club!
For week two, we can't wait to share a book that's a true Waldorf summer classic, filled with elves, woodland friends, and a mysterious orange "egg" that appears in the woods.
"It's a sun egg!" exclaims the fortunate little elf who stumbles upon this mysterious orange globe nestled in the woods. As she and her friends unravel the true nature of the egg, the little elf embarks on one of the most thrilling adventures of her life.
Elsa Beskow is one of our all-time favorite author/illustrators at Bella Luna Toys. We love the characters in this book, from the mischievous elf Larch to the Happy Frog. We also love how the anticipation builds of what the sun egg actually is and what will become of this mysterious find. Also, there's nothing quite like seeing all those elves and woodland animals drinking orange juice out of the "sun egg" through straws!
Day 1: Read & Discuss
On the first day of the book club, settle in with your children, get cozy and read the book together. As you read, take time to closely explore the illustrations and slowly absorb the story. After you’ve finished reading, talk about some of the characters and their personalities. This book offers a lot of personality to share!
Invite your children to ask questions, share parts of the story that they loved and can relate to and discuss any parts of the story that stood out to them. Freeing time to talk about the elements of a story lets it resonate more deeply and makes the story sink into your little one's hearts.
We've put together a list of questions and specific ideas based on this sweet classic to prompt your discussions:
1. Have you ever lost something and then imagined the adventure that your lost item has had? Perhaps you've misplaced a favorite stuffed animal or a special piece of jewelry, did elves find it?
2. Do you think elves help bring the seasons like the elf thinks in the Sun Egg?
3. Have you ever found a mysterious object and wondered what it is? If not, look at some items in your house as if you are the elves in this story.
4. If you were one of these characters, would you suggest that the orange was something other than a sun egg? What would you suggest it was?
Day 2: Drawing & Writing Prompt
On the second day of our Summer Book Club, we revisit the story to retell it and process the story even more through drawing and writing prompts. Children also like to retell the story through play and even perform their own reenactment. Let your children lead the way! If your children enjoy drawing and writing, create a space with easy access to pencils, crayons, and paper. Include the book in the space so they can use it as inspiration.
For this book, we created the following prompt to spark their drawing adventures:
In this book, we find out that there is no such thing as a sun egg, but what if there were? What other kinds of eggs can you imagine? Draw your own imaginary egg - what will it look like?
Day 3: Make an Orange Peel Beeswax Candle Craft
After reading all about a magical Sun Egg, what could be better than making your very own version to celebrate the summer Solstice! Not only does this orange peel beeswax candle light up the night with it's orange glow but it's citrus smell is delicious and invigorating!
Gather Your Materials
- Large orange
- 100% natural beeswax (bars or pellets)
- Stainless steel pitcher or bowl
- Food scale
- Candle wick and wick holder
- Essential oils (optional)
Prep and craft your candle
Try to pick an orange that sits evenly on your counter. Cut off the top of your orange, leaving around 2/3rds of the fruit intact. Using a spoon, scoop out the fruit until your orange peel is clean. Be careful around the bottom of the orange. You may end up with a small hole here. If you do use a bit of painters tape to cover the hole when you pour your candle. Place your orange on a plate and set aside.
To melt your beeswax you can place a stainless steel bowl over a pot of boiling water. Add your beeswax, roughly 8 ounces for each candle you want to make, and any essential oil if you'd like your candle to be scented. Stir gently until the wax is fully melted.
Once melted, carefully transfer the beeswax into your stainless steel pitcher. It's possible to melt your wax in the pitcher instead of a bowl to remove this step, but a lot easier to accidentally burn yourself while holding the pitcher in the hot water. We suggest the more cautious route!
Place your wick in the center of your orange peel and use a wick holder to keep it steady. Slowly pour your wax into the orange peel, leaving a bit of room at the top, and let cool. We added a bit of lavender when our wax had partially cooled to go with our essential oil scent.
Light your Sun Egg candle during reading time, dinner time, or any time you want to add some ambiance to your day! Never leave burning candles unattended.
We hope you enjoyed exploring this Elsa Beskow classic with us. Tune in next week to discover The Story of the Butterfly Children by Sibylle von Olfers and craft your very own butterfly wings. See you soon!
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