by Carolyn | Animal books, Book Lists, Imagination, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Read Alouds
A while ago I posted about my favorite soothing bedtime books for little ones. But sometimes our big kids like to have their own special bedtime books too! These books may be slightly longer, have rich vocabulary, and beautiful illustrations just brimming with...
by Carolyn | Cultural Diversity, Fantasy, Girls, Highschool, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Newbery, Young Adult
I’ve been on a bit of a Shannon Hale kick recently. I listened to three of her books in a row this past month: Goose Girl, Princess Academy, and Book of 1,000 Days. I love reinvented fairy tales (so long as good versus evil isn’t turned on its head). And...
by Carolyn | Education, Fantasy, Imagination, Parenting, Recommendations, Resources
I’m so excited to share with you my appearance on the Read-Aloud Revival Podcast with Sarah Mackenzie. We talked all about Fantasy Books for Christian Kids. It’s episode #41, and you can find it right HERE. If you didn’t grow up reading fantasy, you...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Craft books, Imagination
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that I love inspiring creativity and imagination in my kids (though I don’t always love the mess that comes with it). So, I love these mess-free books that will get your kids’ creative...
by Carolyn | Animal books, Baby, Book Lists, Parenting, Picture Books, Preschool
It just thrills me that Valentine’s Day is also International Book Giving Day! Why? Because nothing says “I love you” like a well-chosen book. Here are my top recommendations for books to say I love you to your kids this Valentine’s Day or any...
by Carolyn | Audiobooks, Character Training, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade
Let me just say, I’m so glad we “read” The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo on audiobook. It is a tear-jerker. But in the best way. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is the story of a much-loved china rabbit. The only...
by Carolyn | Fantasy, For fun, Imagination, Picture Books
The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski beautifully illustrates the power of imagination. A girl borrows a book from her teacher, but the words all fall out on the way home. At first, she is disappointed, but then she imagines stories for each picture. The following day, fox...
by Carolyn | Uncategorized
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen a lot of children’s books about contentment recently, have you? That focus on quiet contentment is what makes Waiting by Kevin Henkes stand out from the crowd. There is a beautiful simplicity about this...
by Carolyn | Uncategorized
I think one thing that has surprised me about the blogging community is how encouraging everyone is. From the bloggers I’ve met through Facebook to the ladies whose blogs I link up on every week, everyone has been super friendly. And maybe that’s because...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Audiobooks, Boys, Character Training, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes had my kids (and me) hooked from the first pages (or, rather, the first few minutes as we listened to the audiobook). Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is the story of Peter, a blind orphan forced into a life of thievery by the...
