by Carolyn | Animal books, Baby, Bible, Board Books, Picture Books, Poetry, Toddler
Counting Blessings by Eileen Spinelli is a sweet, rhyming counting book of blessings for young children. It’s a sturdy board book with a soft, padded cover (less likely to be chewed up by book-hungry babies). The illustrations of bunnies and other animals by Lee...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Education, Picture Books, Poetry, Read Alouds
Spring has sprung! Here in Texas, spring means bluebonnets. But since spring looks a little different in different places, picture books about spring can be a great way to introduce the concept to kids. Here are a few of my favorite picture books about spring…...
by Carolyn | Imagination, Nature, Picture Books
I have been reluctant to return this book for imaginative children to the library. I’ve simply fallen in love with it. So, since I’m out of renewals and must return it, I’ll first share it with you. This is Sadie by Sara O’Leary describes a day...
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 | 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 | 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 | Book Lists, Education, Nature, Picture Books, Poetry, Read Alouds
In some ways, I’ve always thought books about seasons were a little funny. I live in south Texas, after all, and seasons down here don’t look much like the ones I see in picture books. Nevertheless, I like for my kids to see what seasons look like in much...
by Carolyn | Baby, Imagination, Parenting, Picture Books, Preschool, Read Alouds
Reading with a child is such a beautiful way to express love. The time spent, the cuddles: they show your child there is nothing more important in the world to you right now than they are. Even better is when that book is about the love between a parent and child....
by Carolyn | Biography, Book Lists, Education, Historical Fiction, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Read Alouds
If you are looking for some Thanksgiving themed books to read with your kids, I think you’ll enjoy the five I’ve selected. I’ve tried to add some variety to my recommendations. Some books tell the Thanksgiving story, one talks about the season, and...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Boys, Education, Imagination, Middle-grade, Nonfiction, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Resources
Last week, we looked at artistic creativity. This week, I want to talk about a different set of books that inspire creativity in kids, specifically, inventive creativity. Ok, maybe I just made up that term, but what I’m talking about is the drive to invent or...
