by Carolyn | For fun, Parenting, Reading, Recommendations, Resources
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...
by Carolyn | Baby, Book Lists, Parenting, Picture Books
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...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Cultural Diversity, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade
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...
by Carolyn | Autobiography, Cultural Diversity, Education, Picture Books, Resources, Wordless Books
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....
by Carolyn | Adventure, Boys, Chapter Books, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Older Elementary, Read Alouds
One of the first things that struck me when I began reading Henry and the Chalk Dragon is that Jennifer Trafton’s prose sings. This book will make a great read-aloud. The second thing that struck me is that his book is hilarious. It reminded me of the Scholastic...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Education, For fun, Poetry, Resources
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,...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Boys, Cultural Diversity, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade
Rarely have a been more conflicted about a book. There is so much to love about The Inquisitor’s Tale. In fact, it just won the 2016 Newberry Honor Book as well as the Cybil audiobook of 2016. But I have a few concerns about it, particularly for Christian...
by Carolyn | Character Training, Imagination, Older Elementary, Parenting, Picture Books, Preschool, Recommendations
I adore picture books, but it’s rare for me to run across one and think, I have to dedicate a whole post to this book. But Big Friends by Linda Sarah is one of those rare books. It’s a book about friendship. Big Friends asks the question, can a twosome...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Character Training, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Mystery, Older Elementary, Steampunk
I love The Mysterious Benedict Society Series! We’d recently revisited the first book, and I’d been wishing for something new from Trenton Lee Stewart. So I was thrilled to find out about his newest book The Secret Keepers. The Story Reuben and his mom...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Classics, Cultural Diversity, Nature, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Read Alouds
Snow can be magical for children, which explains why there are so many picture books about snow! I must have checked out over thirty books to find our very favorites to share with you. Maybe you’re knee-deep in snow. Or maybe–like us–the only snow...
