Our resident children's librarian, Janssen, has been peppering MPMK with all sorts of great book lists this summer (see them here).  But recently I realized that as amazing as those lists are, I'm not fully tapping her potential.  So, with school back in session, I thought now we be a good time to ask for her thoughts on how to raise book-lovers.  Here's what she had to say... As a voracious lifelong reader, I care deeply about helping my children learn to enjoy reading. Of course, if … [Read more...]

I used to find wordless picture books so disconcerting. Where were the words? How was I supposed to know what to say?   Now, though, I love the chance to focus more on the illustrations and also let my child interpret the pictures for herself. It's so fun to see her figure out the story based on the images, and it's just a pleasure to see a different reader pick up something you had never noticed or interpret the story in a completely different way. It's a perfect way for pre-readers to … [Read more...]

Are you spending your summer at the beach, the pool, or the spray-ground? With these heat waves across the country, there's a good chance your swimsuit or at least your backyard hose is getting a lot of use this year. But if you're looking for a watery adventure that doesn't require sunscreen, check out these 9 books about life in the water and near the ocean floor. Some of them are non-fiction, some of them are fantastical make-believe tales, and all of them are fabulous. Flotsam by … [Read more...]