by Carolyn | Baby, Board Books, Book Lists, Picture Books, Preschool, Toddler
It’s always exciting to learn that a friend is expecting. And if that friend is a first-time mom, I’m always itching to share some of our favorite books with her. There is something special about the first books you enjoy with your baby. Your child may not...
by Carolyn | Audiobooks, Classics, Girls, Imagination, Older Elementary, Read Alouds
We listened to Emily’s Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary as an audiobook, and let’s just say I was enchanted along with my kids by this story. Emily Bartlett lives on a farm in a small Oregon town in the 1920’s. She longs for a library, like the...
by Carolyn | Animal books, Board Books, Book Lists, Picture Books, Preschool
Since the invention of the teddy bear (and perhaps before), kids have loved these cuddly creatures. I’m sure classic stories like Winnie the Pooh and A Bear Called Paddington have helped endear bears to our hearts. These picture books about bears for...
by Carolyn | Board Books, Book Lists, Picture Books, Preschool, Read Alouds
Bedtimes can be hectic! And if you have multiple kids, the act of getting everyone clean, pajamafied, and in (but not jumping on) their beds gets trickier. But days that end with a snuggle and a story are always sweeter. There are a couple of tricky things about...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Girls, Historical Fiction, Middle-grade, Mystery, Recommendations, Steampunk
Let me just say, if you have girls, go get this book! When I first heard the premise for The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, I was intrigued. Jordan Stratford has taken two historical figures (plus a few others), squashed their timeline and given them a fictional...
by Carolyn | Animal books, Book Lists, Education, Nonfiction, Older Elementary, Picture Books
A while ago I posted a review of King of the Birds (which I loved). It got me to wondering what other great books about birds I could find. I found some great picture books about birds! My kids and I loved each of these picture books about birds! Read them for fun or...
by Carolyn | Free, Reading, Resources
I love summer reading programs! Maybe I’m just competitive, but I get excited when my kids finish their reading logs and are ready for their reward! My oldest is a voracious reader and will finish our library’s reading contest in the first week! If you...
by Carolyn | Biography, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Movies, Older Elementary, Read Alouds
Several years ago, when my older kids were four and six, I decided to read The Invention of Hugo Cabret to them. My husband and I had just seen the movie, so I was pretty excited about the book. I put it on hold at the library and waited patiently. I was expecting a...
by Carolyn | Audiobooks, Bible, Character Training, Free, Older Elementary, Preschool
*When my older kids were probably 3 and 5, I came across these extraordinary audio Bible stories. They are told by a lady named Joelee Chamberlain. She speaks with a gentle, grandmotherly voice. She talks right to her listeners, and I found my kids responding out loud...
