Three By the Sea
by Mini Grey
Three By The Sea is not your typical picture book. The story tells us about three unlikely friends - a dog, a cat, and a mouse - who very happily live in a little house by the sea sharing chores and enjoying their days together. One night a stranger shows up and slowly turns the household upside down. The three friends struggle with the havoc but eventually rid their house of the pesky fox and thrive in the change that blew in with him. The book is imaginative, fun, and thought provoking and each reader will interpret its message in a unique and personal way. Some young readers will see the strength in the little family, some will see how changing and growing are good, others will simply enjoy the little parable and see a warning about strangers. That is the beauty of good books - each reader has their own experience with the story and there is no right or wrong, only enjoyment.
You might also enjoy: Anatole
In this Issue
Cheese Fondue
You cannot read Three by the Sea and not make cheese fondue! If you read the mouse's recipes in his open cookbook, you will see that they are a little cheese-heavy, shall we say, so we've lightened the recipe up a bit and made an equally yummy version with reduced fat Swiss and cheddar cheeses. You can get creative with what you choose to dip. You really can't go wrong: after all, it's cheese!
Cheese Fondue
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons yogurt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup fat free half and half
- 3/4 cup reduced fat milk
- 3 ounces reduced fat Swiss cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 ounces reduced fat cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in yogurt and flour. Slowly pour in half and half and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer and whisk constantly until the mixture is thickened. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cheeses until melted and smooth.
- Serve with vegetables (new potatoes are particularly good) and bread cubes.
Related Recipe: Anatole's Cheese Tasting Party
Watch and Learn: Cheese Making
Here's a simple and kid-friendly look at how artisan cheese is made, from a classic Sesame Street episode.
Sandpaper Art with Herb "Glitter"
Really bring Three by the Sea to life by incorporating elements of the story into this multi-sensory art activity. Drawing with crayons on sandpaper allows your young reader to have the tactile experience of the sand on the beach, while adding dried herb "glitter" will scent the air with the smell of Mouse and Dog's bone and herb garden. This is a great way to bring the book off the shelf!
Sandpaper Art with Herb "Glitter"
Supplies
- Sandpaper
- Crayons
- Glue
- Dried herbs such as thyme
- Draw with crayons on sandpaper.
- Squeeze or "draw" with glue as desired. Sprinkle herbs over the wet glue. Let dry. Shake off excess herbs.
You might also enjoy: Styrofoam Boats or Crayon Resist
More Mini Grey Books
The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon
Have you and your young reader read any books by Mini Grey? Do you have a favorite?
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Off the Shelf!
Comments