R a to15Welcome to House full of Bookworms!

Here’s something I think we agree on. I believe reading and being read to are foundational. But it’s not just the amount of time reading that matters. I believe what children read is critical not only to their education but also to their emotional and spiritual formation. Children internalize books. They identify with characters. They adjust their world view. What they read is important.

But sometimes, as parents, we don’t know what to let them read (or not read).

That’s why I created this blog back in 2014. I want to help you find books that your kids will love and that you will approve of. I want to encourage you with beautiful stories your family can enjoy together. And I want to give you resources to talk with your teens and tweens about the books they are reading.

Will you join me on this quest for great books for our kids? Sign up below to receive updates when I post a new book review. You’ll also receive a link to download two book lists: 15 Contemporary Picture Books to Read and Beyond Narnia: Middle-Grade Fantasy.

Want to know more about me?

My name is Carolyn Leiloglou (lay-LAW-glue), and my obsession with books started early, which would certainly explain my choice to major in English and complete the Torrey Honors program at BIOLA University. During college, I fell in love with my sweet husband, in part because of his beautiful songwriting that shows his love for Jesus and encouraged my heart. Did I mention he is also a wonderful pediatrician, which is great since we have four bookworms–I mean kids–of our own.

I’m also an award-winning author of Library’s Most Wanted (Pelican 2020) and the Noah Green Junior Zookeeper series (Clear Fork). Over a dozen of my poems and stories have been published in children’s magazines around the world including Highlights, Cricket, Ladybug, and The School Magazine in Australia. I’m also an editor for The Green Ember series. Find out more about my books at carolynleiloglou.com.

On this site, I focus on book reviews and lists, but you can find me on other blogs, a podcast, in children’s magazines, and even on TV. Just follow the links below:

TV/Podcast Appearances

• Read-Aloud Revival Podcast: “Episode #41: Fantasy for Christian Kids“
• Confetti Moments Podcast Interview about Library’s Most Wanted
• SA Live: “Book Recommendations” (my segment starts at 17:30)

Guest Posts and Articles

• Rabbit Room: many reviews
• Story Warren: many articles and reviews
• Simple Homeschool: “Caught Reading During (Home)School“
• Sunlit Pages: “How My Parents Raised Readers Without Being Avid Readers Themselves“
• 12×12 Picture Book Challenge: Featured Author “Welcome to the Rollercoaster”

Poetry and Stories for Children

Find an up to date list of my published stories and poems on my author site.

To stay updated on my latest posts, sign up below. I also post useful information on my Facebook page (just remember you have to like and comment in order to keep seeing the feed) and on Instagram. Thanks for connecting, and happy reading!

If you’d like to contact me, feel free to use the form below. Keep in mind, if you are an author/publisher, I generally choose my own books to review, so I am not open to solicitations for book reviews at this time (with the exception of authors I have already mentioned on this blog).

If you are a self-published author, I understand it is difficult to get the word out about your book. However, I don’t have time to keep up with the books I want to read, and I won’t recommend books to my audience without reading them. If you query me, you will not receive a response (especially if you don’t bother to find out my name).