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 | 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 | Audiobooks, Chapter Books, Classics, Girls, Historical Fiction, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Read Alouds, Recommendations
The Moffats, by Eleanor Estes, is listed on several wonderful book lists for children. My oldest daughter has enjoyed this book, along with the rest of the series, but I had never read it. I thought it was about time to rectify this omission. The Moffats is the first...
by Carolyn | Baby, Board Books, Book Lists, Preschool, Read Alouds, Recommendations, Toddler
Let’s face it, moms. We complain that our toddler wants to hear the same book over and over and over. But that’s usually because it’s a book we can’t stand. But we do the same thing! We have a few books we prefer to read. At least, I know I do!...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Character Training, Girls, Historical Fiction, Imagination, Middle School, Middle-grade, Mystery, Read Alouds, Scary Stories
How do you feel about scary stories for kids? When I was a kid, Goosebumps was a popular series, but, honestly, Nancy Drew was too suspenseful for me! On the other hand, my daughter loves “scary” books (at the same age that I couldn’t handle them)....
by Carolyn | Adventure, Character Training, Cultural Diversity, Girls, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Newbery, Older Elementary, Read Alouds
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin features a young girl, Minli, who lives in a poor village with her parents. Her father tells her stories each night, but her discontented mother says the stories are a waste. In an effort to make her family happy, Minli...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Boys, Character Training, Classics, Cultural Diversity, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Newbery, Read Alouds
How would you feel if you were 13, left alone in a cabin in the wilderness, responsible to take care of it until your family arrived? That’s the situation Matt finds himself in at the beginning of The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare. Through...
by Carolyn | Girls, Nature, Parenting, Picture Books, Read Alouds, Recommendations, Toddler
I never had a sister, but I do have three girls, so I’m always excited to find a book about sisters getting along (or learning to do so). And I’ve recently found a delightful series of picture books that do just that! Lori Nichols series about Maple and...
