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Esperanza Rising: a Window into Culture and History

by Carolyn | Jun 20, 2017 | Cultural Diversity, Education, Girls, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Recommendations | 5 Comments

I loved Esperanza Rising. I love being surprised by a book, and this one surprised me. I know I had heard some good reviews, but I had also read some critical ones. I'm not sure what I expected, but I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did (I finished it in two...

A Bike Like Sergio’s: Ethics for Kids

by Carolyn | Jun 6, 2017 | Boys, Character Training, Cultural Diversity, Older Elementary, Parenting, Picture Books, Recommendations | 0 Comments

A Bike Like Sergio's by Maribeth Boelts is a rare book. It takes the reader through both the thoughts and feelings of doing something wrong and then making it right. It allows kids to vicariously experience a tempting situation and shows them a path for doing the...

Best Summer Reading Programs, Contests, and Challenges 2017

by Carolyn | May 23, 2017 | For fun, Parenting, Reading, Recommendations, Resources | 12 Comments

It's summer reading program time again! I always get excited about summer reading programs, especially when the rewards are more books! We all want to avoid the summer slump, but remember, our goal is to get your kids excited about reading. If these contests do that,...

Books to Welcome a New Baby from Sweet to Hilarious

by Carolyn | May 2, 2017 | Baby, Book Lists, Parenting, Picture Books | 0 Comments

There's nothing like a book to prepare a child for new experiences. And if your child is getting ready to become a big brother or a big sister for the first time, these books are a fabulous way to prepare them to welcome a new baby. There are funny books, sweet books,...

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

by Carolyn | Apr 18, 2017 | Adventure, Cultural Diversity, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade | 2 Comments

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi is one of the most fascinatingly beautiful books I have read in recent memory. I finished it (the audiobook version) in less than a day. The Story In a fantastical land where color and magic are intimately connected, Alice is born...

Anno’s China: A Visual Exploration

by Carolyn | Apr 4, 2017 | Autobiography, Cultural Diversity, Education, Picture Books, Resources, Wordless Books | 2 Comments

Anno's China by Mitsumasa Anno is a picture book for all ages. In fact, it's beautiful enough to be a coffee table book. Originally published in Japan, Anno's China was recently translated and brought to the United States by Beautiful Feet Books. When first flipping...

Henry and the Chalk Dragon: For the Artist Within Us All

by Carolyn | Mar 21, 2017 | Adventure, Boys, Chapter Books, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Older Elementary, Read Alouds | 0 Comments

{Before we dive into Jennifer Trafton's latest book, Henry and the Chalk Dragon, I wanted to give y'all a heads up. I'm doing an INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY of Trafton's first book, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic. If you're interested, head on over to Instagram and find...

Fun with Palindromes for Kids

by Carolyn | Mar 7, 2017 | Book Lists, Education, For fun, Poetry, Resources | 2 Comments

I remember the first time I was introduced to the concept of palindromes. My sixth-grade teacher wrote on the board, "A man, a plan, a canal, Panama." She asked us what was unique about this phrase. We puzzled and thought, but no one could get it. Finally, she told...