My middle son is just finishing kindergarten and the fire for reading has been lit! He's an eager reader and growing in his abilities at a rapid pace, but there are still many, many books that are out of reach for him, which can be especially hard given that he has an older brother who is reading so many fascinating books. It's a tricky time for finding books that are engaging, but readable. We sat down together and made a list of books that he wants to read this summer. Most fall in … [Read more...]
Reading Roundup: Books for Welcoming Spring
Winter has its own appeal - the chance of snow, the hibernation - but I don't know a single soul (save for my ski-crazy nephews) that longs for it to stick around after a few months. Once we get a hint of spring, people are all in. I bought primroses that then got covered in a few inches of snow, I'm eyeing my daffodil shoots daily, and I'm even getting an itch to start planning my garden...all signs that spring is near! We have a few wonderful picture books we like to mark … [Read more...]
20 Must-Read Books for Summer – Something for Everyone’s List
As a stay-at-home mom with a baby and preschooler, summer life doesn't look ALL that much different than my regular mom life. But it feels different, doesn't it? The warm weather, longer hours of daylight, weekday trips to the pool, road trip vacations, and kids filling the library, park and neighborhood streets, all add up to a totally different routine in my mind. And summer reading is part of that, obviously. Whether your book is accompanying you to a park bench or a sparkling … [Read more...]
Fractured Fairy Tales: 7 Stories You Thought You Knew
Are you familiar with fractured fairy tales? They are stories that spin off the well-known versions of classic fairy tales, and they are usually extremely clever and fun. I loved reading them to my elementary students because they loved comparing the similarities and differences between the stories they knew and the ones we read together. There are hundreds of fractured fairy tale books for all ages (and if you find that your kids really enjoy them, ask your librarian for more suggestions). In … [Read more...]