by Carolyn | Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Newbery, Older Elementary
You Go First is an endearing story of friendship from Erin Entrada Kelly, author of the Newbery Medal winning book Hello, Universe (which I haven’t read yet). What appears to be a story about online friends ends up showing real-life friends are the most...
by Carolyn | Audiobooks, For fun, Giveaway, Imagination, Reading, Recommendations
Looking for some bookish gifts for your young bookworms this Christmas? Want to stoke a love of reading? I’m sure you’ll find something to love on this list! Book Box For family bonding with young children, I love this book box from Literaseeds....
by Carolyn | Biography, Biography, Book Lists, Education, Historical Fiction, Nonfiction, Older Elementary, Picture Books
Do you have a favorite author you’d love to introduce your kids to, but they aren’t old enough yet? Or maybe they’d love to learn more about the author of their favorite picture books books. Either way, you just might find some of your family’s...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Bible, Biography, Biography, Boys, Character Training, Education, Historical Fiction, Middle-grade, Nonfiction
I’ve been anticipating this illustrated juvenile biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer for over a year! The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix is a work of art. Hendrix challenges readers in their own view of responsibility,...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Character Training, Education, Parenting, Picture Books, Preschool, Read Alouds, Recommendations, Resources
My husband is a pediatrician, so it’s no surprise that he asked me to come up with a list of picture books to help little kids deal with big emotions. I found some great ones that may help your kids learn how to process their feelings better. (And thanks to...
by Carolyn | Boys, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Recommendations
You may have noticed the nod to Pinocchio in the title of The Real Boy. But Anne Ursu’s book isn’t a retelling. She takes elements and themes from the story of that wooden boy and weaves them into a fantastic tapestry that speaks to very real issues. The...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Books about Books, Picture Books, Read Alouds
Picture books about books may be a little meta, but they’re also a whole lot of fun. Hopefully these books will inspire your kids to pull a few more books off the self for reading time. Books About Books The Good Little Book by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by...
by Carolyn | For fun, Free, Parenting, Reading, Recommendations, Resources
It’s time to think about summer reading programs 2018! 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...
by Carolyn | Boys, Character Training, Cultural Diversity, Middle-grade, Older Elementary, Parenting, Recommendations
Save Me A Seat takes a deep dive into the perspective of two 10-year-old boys to show that the assumptions we make about other people are often wrong. Authors Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan team up in this novel to give authentic voice to the dual protagonists....
by Carolyn | Character Training, Imagination, Parenting, Picture Books, Preschool, Read Alouds, Recommendations
I’ve been looking forward to this new picture book for a while, and it did not disappoint! Reading Unplugged by Steve Antony will gently encourage your kids to turn off their screens and head outside. Most kids, given the choice, will choose screen time over...
