Every now and then I get into a horrible book rut. I’ll start several books and none of them grab me. I’ve now learned that all I need to do to get out of said book rut is pick up a title by Katherine Center. I was delighted to receive an advanced reading copy of Happiness for Beginners, and like Center’s other titles, I was immediately sucked in, admittedly to the point of shooing away my kids and reading by flashlight as I devoured the closing chapters.Every now and then I get into a horrible book rut. I’ll start several books and none of them grab me. I’ve now learned that all I need to do to get out of said book rut is pick up a title by Katherine Center. I was delighted to receive an advanced reading copy of Happiness for Beginners, and like Center’s other titles, I was immediately sucked in, admittedly to the point of shooing away my kids and reading by flashlight as I devoured the closing chapters.
Last year, when I first heard Jessica Shyba speak about how her Instagram pictures of Theo and Beau went viral, what struck me most was her grace, humility, and clear love for her family. That love is so beautifully pervasive in the incredible naptime images of her son Beau and rescued puppy Theo; some of these images now can be found in Jessica's new picture book, Naptime with Theo & Beau, which I'm sharing as this week's Friday Find.
Perfectly timed for the frigid temperatures, today, Hillary of Mass Audubon shares 5 favorite books about winter trees:
I love trees, especially here in the Northeast where we experience such dramatic seasonal changes. Having grown up in Florida, I rarely witnessed the evolution of a tree from season to season: the buds about to burst, the flowers that precede the leaves, the vibrant fall foliage, and, not to be left out, the bare branches of winter.
I've found that the second time around as a parent, I've been way lazier about initiating creative projects. And sometimes I feel pretty bad about it because Violet clearly loves creative projects, especially sensory-related ones. So I'm thrilled about Asia Citro's 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids. Replete with doable projects, simple instructions, and great photos, this book is inspiring me to try a new activity with Vi each week.
We really adore books at Boston Mamas, and today, Rene shares 10 offbeat book recommendations for kids:
We aren't ones to diss the classics, and we adore children's books that are timeless, like the works of Dr. Suess, Sandra Boynton and Eric Carle. But, if you are looking to try something new at bedtime, we've discovered some amazing new reads that don't fit the typical picture book mold.
Today, Lindsey (also of A Design So Vast) shares 7 great chapter books for kids (especially boys). See also, Lindsey's roundup of great books for boys + this crowd sourced collection of recommendations for books for boys!
I spend a lot of time thinking about books for my daughter, 12, and my son, 9. They love to read and keeping up with their changing tastes and interests is both fun and, sometimes, difficult.
Over the next few weeks I'm going to be reposting select back to school content from the Boston Mamas archives. Why? Because I've realized that there's some truly helpful material back there (oh how we have suffered with transitions!) and I'll be editing and refreshing this material for you. The first post in this series are 4 book recommendations for back to school. Books are so helpful in helping with back to school transitions!
Crowdsourcing for book recommendations has become one of my favorite things to do via social media. I love hearing how passionate people are about books and over the last several years, these lists have been my go-to source for so many wonderful reads! Following last year's 80 books for your booklist, I decided to canvas again and received 100 recommendations in a few days -- bookmark or print this list out for your next bookstore or library visit!
My friend Meagan Francis is a gifted writer and incredibly productive person. She is the mother of 5 children and has written 5 books, the latest being the e-book Beyond Baby. And what I love about this e-book is that it’s all about putting YOU back in focus following the baby years haze. Beyond Baby is divided into 40 weeks (get it?) of exercises that get you thinking and acting to better yourself, your shelter, your relationships, and your dreams.
I love having two sisters to share baby hand me downs with (I was fortunate to receive amazing hand me downs at my secondhand baby shower!), and as I've been collecting Vi's outgrown board books to pass along, I thought I'd share a roundup of 20 great board books for babies and toddlers in honor of Children's Book Day (today). These picks are perfect for gifting or expanding your own library!
Today, Lindsey shares some great book recommendations:
My daughter is 11, and in her independent reading has found a rich vein of chapter books with strong female protagonists (see my earlier post on books for strong and smart girls). Island of the Blue Dolphins, A Wrinkle in Time, Harriet the Spy, and even The Hunger Games series: all of these share gutsy, brave, intelligent girl narrators.
Today's Friday Find is perfect for book lovers! When I first opened T. T. Khing's Where Is the Cake? (a gift to Violet from my awesome brother-in-law) I was initially puzzled as there was nothing for me to read. But this look-and-find book has since proven incredibly captivating for kids and adults alike. The pages include numerous animal plot lines; even after a dozen "reads" I found myself discovering new story elements. We love this book and I'll be ordering Khing's follow up Where Is the Cake Now? soon!
In honor of Black History Month I wanted to share some resources to help inspire conversations and learning with your kids. Below is a roundup of books, printables, crafts, and interactive tools; if you've come across other great resources, I'd love to hear about them in the comments! Also, my friend Kelly Wickham, an incredibly smart writer and educator, will be be posting regularly about Black History Month; check her first post on Langston Hughes.
Holidays (national or somewhat arbitrary) offer fun inspiration for projects and lessons for kids. Yesterday was Penguin Awareness Day (though I'm happy to celebrate penguins any day of the year!) and I wanted to take this opportunity to shine a light on this fine bird with project, book, and design inspiration. If you have other ideas to share, feel free to do so in the comments below!
Today, Jennifer shares a roundup of books to help teach kids (and adults!) about the civil rights movement:
Last year, a school lesson on the civil rights movement really resonated with my children. They never willingly offer up information on their school day, yet in this case they were fighting to be the first to tell me all they had learned about Ruby Bridges. (“She was six years old like us and she helped to change the laws!”) To their shock, I was unfamiliar with the story (and yes, I was embarrassed to be getting schooled by two six-year-olds!).
