Modern Parents Messy Kids

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Recreational Summer Reading List for Moms

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The last time our in-house librarian, Janssen, put together a recreational reading list it was a huge hit so I asked her to give us another one for the summer. I'm uploading all of her picks to my mobile kindle reader so I can fit in a little summer reading while the kids play at the park. (Don't worry - I'll take lots of breaks to push them on the swings too.) Summer is here, and for me that means checking out giant stacks of books to read over the summer. If you're looking for something to … [Read more...]

TinkerLab: A Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors

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Around here summer is the season for lots and lot of hands on play. This is partly to keep mom (that's me) from going nuts, and partly to keep our littles' brains stimulated and learning. The only flaw with this summertime mantra of play? It can be rather difficult to think of creative, open-ended ideas to fill our days! Which is why I'm so excited to tell you about the new book from one of my very favorite blogging friends, Rachelle over at TinkerLab. TinkerLab: A Hands-On Guide … [Read more...]

Book Nook: If You Liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Try . . . .

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How will anything ever be as good again? What book could possibly follow-up? For millions of kids, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are that way  - books that, sometimes for the first time, give them that "I love to read!" feeling. These books follow Greg, who is starting middle school and trying to make sense of the new rules of popularity and fitting in, with both hilarious and honest results. They're written in diary form, with Greg's thoughts about his life combined with funny sketches … [Read more...]

8 Delightful Children’s Books for Easter

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I love Easter. One of the reasons I love it so much is that it heralds the arrival of spring. And after this winter, I think most of us could use a little spring. (I won't lie - I love the chocolate too). Plus, my little girls love all things related to rabbits and baby chicks. These eight titles are perfect additions to your Easter collection,whether you buy them or check them out from the local library: … [Read more...]

Top 10 Reads for Every Expectant Parent

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I'm over at eHow's Mom Channel this week talking about my top 10 books for every expectant parent.  The list spans reads on everything from picking the perfect baby name and helping dads to prepare to books on mindful parenting with young children and preparing kids for a new sibling.  Come check out the full list here. P.S. Did you know that facebook has recently drastically changed the way pages like MPMK can share with their followers? Even if you’re a fan of the MPMK facebook page, only a … [Read more...]

Thanksgiving Books for the Kids

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It's been a while since we've let our children's librarian, Janssen, do her thing. So get your library cards out, here are her picks for the the books that will get your kids super excited for Turkey Day this year. If you're looking for a couple more Thanksgiving recommendations, check out these on her blog.) With kids, it's sometimes easy for Thanksgiving to get lost in the shuffle. Halloween is such a kid-centric holiday and then Christmas is, indisputably, the biggest holiday of them all - … [Read more...]

Boo! Halloween Books for Children

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Our resident children's librarian, Janssen, is back today with some of her favorite Halloween books for kids. Get your library cards ready... I liked Halloween as a child (what's not to like?) but as an adult, I find I enjoy it even more. I'm off the hook for dressing up, since I can costume my children instead, it's the beginning of the holiday season, and I can finally start pulling out my Halloween book collection. If you're looking to bulk up your own collection, here are seven … [Read more...]

How to Get Started with Audiobooks

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Do you guys ever listen to audiobooks at home?  Our in-house librarian, Janssen, swears by them for getting your reading fix while getting stuff done.  I've been totally intrigued by the idea but a little intimidated on how to get started with it all. Today I've asked Janssen to give as quick tutorial: audiobooks 101.  Here's everything you need to know to dive into reading with your ears... I am a complete audiobook fiend. This year, I've listened to 22 of them so far - it's just such a … [Read more...]

POYEL: Organizing Children’s Books

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Hi friends, I know I promised you a big eBook reveal today but, alas, technical difficulties have arisen.  Hopefully all will be well and back on track soon. Until then - here's Annie with a new POYEL project! We know it can be difficult for many people (read: parents) to part with treasured children’s books, even if their kids have long since outgrown them. Children's books are one of the few instances in which I just can't condemn such sentimental attachments to material belongings; I have a … [Read more...]