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The 20 Best Books of the Year

December 8 by Janssen

The best books of the year - all of these are going on my library list ASAP

If there's one thing I love about December, aside from the holidays, it's the Best of 2015 book lists that come out. As a former librarian and a huge reader, both on my own and with my small children, it's basically like Christmas all over again when I get a little time to pore over the lists and max out my library card with the ones I haven't read yet. Of course, I can never resist putting together my own list too. If you're looking for something great to give as a gift to a spouse, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Janssen, The Book Nook, the grown-ups (that's you!) Tagged With: best biography, best books, best books of the year, best design book, best fiction, best self-help book, best women's lit

All-Time Favorite Kid Books (Picks for Every Age)

November 12 by Janssen

Best Kid Books: All-time favorite picks from a children's librarian... This list has everything from best board books and 1st chapter books to best books for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and best books for families to read together. Fantastic resource!

There are lots of signs that the holidays are around the corner: the radio is blaring Christmas tunes non-stop, every store is filled up with holiday treats, decorations, and gifts, and my inbox is filled with requests about what book to buy their child or niece or grandson as a gift. So many of us want to buy books for the children in our lives - we want them to love books, share our favorite titles from our childhood, and give them something that won't break or wear out in a few … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Janssen, The Book Nook Tagged With: best board books, best books for elementary aged kids, best books for highschoolers, best chapter books, best family books, best first read-alone books, best kids books, best picture books

What I’m Reading: Raising A Rockstar Reader

October 15 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Helping Kids Learn to Read- 75 Quick Tips to Help Your Child Develop a Lifelong Love of Reading.

I've got another great read for you guys today and I think what you're going to love most about it is how super easy and quick it is to get through. Because, let's face it, as much as we all have the best intentions about reading that super-helpful parenting book, it often just doesn't get done. Raising A Rockstar Reader is different though. It is truly one of the most skimmable and easily digested books I have ever read- and it's packed with really great info. too. Hooray for a great book … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Parenting, The Book Nook Tagged With: books on kids literacy, how to help kids learn to read, literacy skills, parenting books, Raising a Rock-Star Reader, reading activities, reading games

Tips for Making Every Kid a Reader

July 23 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Super useful tips on how to get kids reading - love, love, #6!

Image Credit: © David D | 137 - Look up! | CC by 2.0 (cropped & text added) When we published our free B.O.R.E.D. printable I told you we'd be following up with some posts on how to help your kids carry out the different tasks. Today we're addressing R - read a book with the help of the non-profit Raising a Reader. They're hooking us up with some really solid ideas on how to keep kids reading this summer (and the rest of the year too!) and how to use the time to instill a love of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: The Book Nook Tagged With: children's reading tips, getting kids to rid, how to get kids to love reading, summer reading for kids

Family Audiobooks: The Perfect Antidote to a Long Car Ride

June 23 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Family-friendly audiobooks for long car rides - these have made our summer traveling so much more enjoyable!

Image Credit: © Tim Roth| youth lagoon + open road | text added | CC by 2.0 'Tis the season of the roadtrip! Do you make one each year with your family? We try to head to my in-laws lake house in Montana every summer... It's a 7 to 8 hour drive with the littles but the serenity is oh-so-worth it once we're there. Traveling is the one time I lift my somewhat strict screen time rules and let the kids have at it. It's a strategy that works for us for the most part, but I do have to say that I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Janssen, The Book Nook Tagged With: audiobooks for families, best audiobooks for families, best audiobooks for kids, books on tape, traveling with kids

Give the Gift of Reading: How to make a ‘Series Starter’ Kit for Kids

December 7 by Janssen

I love this gift idea for encouraging reading SO much - I also adore the idea of being the one to introduce some of my favorite kids to some of my favorite authors!

Got a little reader on your gift list this year? Our resident children's librarian, Janssen, here today with one of our favorite gift ideas ever - the series starter. Here are all the details... Whether you're looking for a book to give to a voracious reader or a struggling and reluctant reader, series are always a good idea. For an avid reader, a series gives them not just one book to devour, but a whole set. While for the reluctant reader, entering a series means they can continue reading … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Janssen, The Book Nook, Uncategorized Tagged With: book gifts for kids, book nook, children's book gifts, children's books, children's reading gifts, gifts for readers, MPMK gift guides, series starter book gift

8 Chapter Books for Kids About Strong Families

October 28 by Janssen

Books for kids centering on strong families - these are the perfect reads this time of year!

Since we've already done a round-up of her favorite Thanksgiving books, I thought a collection of books centering on strong families from our resident children's librarian, Janssen, would be perfect for this time of year. We went with chapter books so big kids can read them on their own or families can read a chapter together each night. Enjoy! With the holiday season just around the corner, family is on everyone's mind, whether it's making gift lists for siblings or visiting relatives … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Holiday, Janssen, Seasonal Fun, The Book Nook Tagged With: book nook, Books about strong families, children's books, children's books about family, kids books about family, Thanksgiving books

{Book Nook} 10 Books Kids Will Love if They Loved Frozen

August 19 by Janssen

Such a smart idea to use your kid's latest obsession to help fuel a love of reading. Love that this list is from a children's librarian and has age recommendations.

I know by now you are likely pretty sick of all things Ana, Elsa and Olaf. But here's a parenting trick I learned a while back - you can use whatever your child is currently obsessing about to help foster a love of reading.  It's all about pointing out the similarities between the story they already love and some new stories worth exploring. The key, of course, is to know where to look. So today our resident children's librarian, Janssen, is sharing 10 books every Frozen fan is sure to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Janssen, The Book Nook Tagged With: book nook, books for Frozen lovers, children's books, Frozen books

Free Printable: Reading Scavenger Hunt

July 14 by MJ at Pars Caeli

Free Printable: Kids Reading Scavenger Hunt - Perfect for spring and summer breaks. my kids loved checking off all 25 items!

Scavenger hunts and reading make the perfect pair. Discovering new stories, interesting characters, or a great series builds your child's love for literature as well as her motivation to become an independent reader. As parents we want to grow our children's interest in reading but sometimes feel like we've run out of ideas on how to do just that. To help, we've created a fun and simple way to challenge your child to read and discover outside of their comfort zone. It's a free printable … [Read more...]

Filed Under: MJ, Printables, The Book Nook Tagged With: free reading printable, kids reading scavenger hunt, kids scavenger hunt printable, kids summer reading, printables, reading scavenger printable, scavenger hunts, summer reading

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