by Carolyn | Character Training, Classics, Girls, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Nature, Older Elementary, Read Alouds, Recommendations
Few books touched my heart growing up as much as Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John, and I wanted to share that childhood favorite with my girls. Last year, we read Heidi aloud together. I had confused the two books since both stories take place in the Swiss...
by Carolyn | Classics, Cultural Diversity, Education, Fantasy, For fun, Girls, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Magical Realism, Middle School, Middle-grade, Mystery, Nature, Older Elementary, Recommendations
A real-world middle-grade fantasy built around the plot of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Yes please! Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca is a magical story about a young baker and her family. The Story Eleven-year-old Mimi Mackson is the...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Character Training, For fun, Imagination, Older Elementary, Parenting, Picture Books, Preschool, Read Alouds, Recommendations, Resources
Sometimes you just need to laugh. When you and your kids are having a bad day, pick up a humous book, and pretty soon, everyone is giggling, even you. And if we’re talking about funny picture books with a message that doesn’t detract from the story, even...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Character Training, Education, Older Elementary, Parenting, Picture Books, Preschool, Read Alouds, Reading, Recommendations, Resources
I’ve got a great list of picture books about kindness and respect for others for you this week. I love when picture books can convey a message, especially when they can do so in a non-preachy and kid-relatable way. In a world increasingly polarized, where cancel...
by Carolyn | Animal books, Baby, Board Books, Book Lists, Character Training, Classics, Education, Newbery, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Toddler
I usually review newer picture books, but sometimes it’s good to take a look back in time. Classic picture books have a lot to offer our fast-paced society with their simple, slower pace. They can remind us to slow down, take notice, embrace imagination. These...
by Carolyn | Animal books, Book Lists, Chapter Books, Cultural Diversity, Early Readers, Fantasy, For fun, Girls, Highschool, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Read Alouds, Recommendations
It’s always fun for me to make this list, because I get to look back on all the great books I’ve read this past year. Some of these I’ve reviewed, and some I haven’t. But I think any one of these would make a great gift for your loved ones....
by Carolyn | Audiobooks, Autobiography, Cultural Diversity, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Older Elementary, Read Alouds, Recommendations
When my 13-year-old daughter read Front Desk by Kelly Yang twice in a row and told me I had to read it, I should have picked it up right away. But I forgot about it. Thankfully I remembered again when it won the Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s...
by Carolyn | Animal books, Chapter Books, Education, For fun, Girls, Juvenile Fiction, Nature, Older Elementary, Recommendations
As you may know, my first book, Noah Green Junior Zookeeper and the Garage Sale Pet, came out last month (March 2019). And, no, I’m not going to “review” my own book. But I would like to introduce you to it!( Let’s start with a pop quiz. Is...
by Carolyn | Audiobooks, Book Lists, Education, Imagination, Nonfiction, Older Elementary, Picture Books
If you ask my kids what sports they play, they’re likely to reply, “piano.” If music is important to your family too, you’ll want to nurture your child’s love of music with these picture books. Here are some of my favorites. Fiction...
by Carolyn | Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Newbery, Older Elementary
You Go First is an endearing story of friendship from Erin Entrada Kelly, author of the Newbery Medal winning book Hello, Universe (which I haven’t read yet). What appears to be a story about online friends ends up showing real-life friends are the most...
