a celebration of childrens books
KIndergarten teachers have a way of making every holiday and “holiday” a Big Deal. My daughter has had Earth Day marked on the calendar for quite a while, so I figured I had better come up with a craft. Make that an easy craft because let’s be honest: Earth Day is no Valentine’s Day. Enter these simple egg carton flowers! In true eco-friendly fashion, we did not purchase anything for this project, and you’ll probably […] Read More
You’re never too young to help the Earth! My toddler son knows to throw his garbage in the trash can, and my five-year-old daughter has learned how to sort items for recycling. We also try to reuse items whenever possible, especially for craft projects. (Hello, toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, and paper scraps! This book list has suggestions for reducing, reusing, recycling, and plain old Earth appreciation. Check out the last few for some fun ways […] Read More
We have really enjoyed learning about strong, brave, and inspirational figures during Black History Month and Women’s History Month, but silly, fun books have their place too. Here’s our library haul from today. (Eliana picked most of them herself.) Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Other Stories by Mo Willems* Super Why: Fairytale Adventures (PBS)* Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes Mac and Cheese by Sarah Weeks Fancy Nancy: Bubbles, Bubbles, […] Read More
I never liked babywearing with Eliana (too complicated! Not comfortable! Scary– is that baby still breathing in there?!), but it was a matter of practicality once I had two kids. It might have been a mix of desperation and newfound confidence, but I actually enjoyed wearing my son, and he liked being cozy with mama. Even though he is a toddler, I still use my carrier to keep him close in crowded places (like hockey […] Read More
In Unplugged by Steve Antony (author of the Mr. Panda books), a robot named Blip’s favorite place to be is plugged into her computer, playing games, learning, and listening to music from morning to night. One day, there is a blackout and she trips over her cord, plummeting her into the bright outside world, forcing her to make new friends and experience new adventures. Natasha’s Review: ★★★1/2 This is a simple book that teaches kids […] Read More
Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children Written by Jan Pinborough Illustrated by Debby Atwell I found this book by chance in the Women’s History Month display at our local library, and I’m so glad I did! It’s a sweet, encouraging story of Anne Carroll Moore, the librarian who changed the culture of libraries to be more accepting of children. She established our current practice of separate child-friendly library […] Read More
Well, it finally happened: Eliana got majorly freaked out by a thunderstorm. I’m actually rather shocked that it didn’t happen sooner, but I’m crossing my fingers that I don’t have an extra bed partner tonight. The instant that first flash of lightning streaked across the sky, tears started streaming down her cheeks, accompanied by wild eyes and jagged breaths. I tried reasoning with her (“You never thought it was scary before!”), distracting her, and entertaining […] Read More
While Eliana has always been a bookworm, this year has exploded that passion! Her school sets the expectation that each student will read 100 books throughout the school year, and they held a read-a-thon in the fall to spark the students’ excitement and raise funds to build a Little Free Library. Eliana was determined to win, and her persistence paid off! 740 minutes of reading in two weeks earned her first place in kindergarten. Proud teacher […] Read More
We went to the library today to pick up a few books I had on hold and ended up with two bags full! I just can’t say no to books, especially when they’re free. I usually end up letting Eliana check out as many as we can carry. Any guesses as to what’s in these bags? Every time we go to the library, Eliana goes straight for the Elephant & Piggie section. If you’re a […] Read More
Our family looks forward to building our Christmas book collection each year, but there are slim pickings when it comes to Easter books outside the realm of favorite characters gussied up in bunny ears at an egg hunt. The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes has been my favorite Easter book since I was a little girl, so all others have a lot to live up to! This year, we discovered Jan Brett’s The […] Read More