Even though I've got a couple of avid readers in my house, I'm always looking for ways to continue to encourage them to pick up a book. Thankfully, there are no shortage of summer reading challenges that offer kids a little incentive for…
As someone who grew up with her nose in a book, I sure spent a lot of time hearing my parents tell me to put down that book and go outside to play! So in honor of today's National Readathon Day , I've rounded up five wonderful new pictur…
Not too long ago, I realized my 8-year-old son was a reluctant reader. He's a perfectly good reader, but would rather do just about anything but read. And that's a particular sore spot for me, because there are few things I’d rather do m…
I hate to admit it, but every once in a while I find myself fussing at my kids, "Put that book down and come on!" But, I have to say, I truly love when they're nose-deep in a book. And I'm on a lifetime quest to forever encourage my kids…
By this point in the school year, my kids know not to expect the sorts of lunchbox love notes they got from me daily in September. But there are a few days on the calendar that inspire me to scribble something special to surprise them: V…
Though it's certainly easy to hand our kids a screen when we want to keep them busy at the doctor's office, on a long road trip, or when work needs to get done (and I am as guilty as anyone), I've found there is one alternative to handhe…
I have a new obsession: novels written in verse. Seriously, I'm flying through a few of these books a week and the best part? My kids are too. The fact that these novels are poetic gives them a lyrical beauty that's missing in a lot of p…
Finally, spring. And with that extra hour of daylight and warmer temps, I'm looking forward to dinners on the porch, flowers in full bloom, and plenty of family time outside. And when we're ready to come in, kick off our shoes, settle in…
Sometimes it's the little things. The totally unnecessary but love-it-want-it-now little things. Like this adorable whale reading chair from Sprout. It's a sweet and modern rocking chair for toddlers to climb in, sit and chill, read a bo…
It's no secret that a good book is one of our favorite ways to celebrate holidays and important milestones of pretty much any kind, and Valentine's Day is no exception. So, we've collected a few of our favorite Valentine's Day books for …
There's no question that David Bowie had a huge impact on the world of music, which is partly why we can't stop talking about him . So today we are so happy to discover that the iconic 1987 David Bowie READ poster has been reissued by th…
I don't want to let holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day slip by with my kids thinking it's just an extra day off of school. So if you're like me and are looking for some ways to honor the spirit of MLK while you're home today, we hi…
The other night my ten-year-old son was looking for something to read at bedtime. I handed him my review copy of Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, not sure what to expect. When I checked on him an hour later, he was just a few pages away…
We've loved our annual new year tradition of compiling the best kids' books of the year, thanks to all the major (and not entirely major) best-of lists and big children's book awards of 2015 from publications, experts, and organizations …
What a treat it is to put together our list of the best children's books of 2015. Not that it's easy; we've collectively read hundreds of great kids' books this year -- from cute, sweet board books, to excellent picture books for early r…
Every once in a while, a children's picture book will capture me in a way that I just don't expect it to. The Only Child by Guojing is one that has got me right now. This beautiful story, told only through illustrations, includes a littl…
This is a sponsored message from GiftLit. You really can't go wrong when you give books over the holidays, but a special way to make your gift keep on giving all year long is a personalized subscription to GiftLit . GiftLit offers more t…
We figured this was a pretty good time to start looking around at some great -- and effective -- books about manners for kids. I'm sure you feel me; my family calendar is already so booked over the next couple months, which means lots of…
With Halloween coming up, I did some browsing at my local library and bookstore to find some creepy books for kids. But, I wanted books that weren't necessarily tied to Halloween so that we could read, enjoy, and be spooked by them all y…
I don't know about you, but my kids aren't the most patient people I know. I'm not either, for that matter, but I'm trying. I promise. And I think my kids are too. Still, it's hard for all of us to practice waiting in a world where almos…
My ten-year-old is the kind of kid who is still reading in bed long after his siblings have fallen asleep. But it can be hard to keep up with his pace, and continue finding age-appropriate fantasy and adventure books that tweens like him…
T he Day the Crayons Quit , written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by the amazing Oliver Jeffers, has been sitting on my kids' bedside table -- and getting read every night at bedtime -- since the day it came home from the bookstore. It…
We have no shortage of movie nights in the summer, but I would love to get my kids to crack open their books more often when school isn't in session. And I think I've found a way to encourage them to read more while still keeping movie n…
When you think of a princess book, and what the lead character wants, what springs to mind? Classically, the story would be about meeting her true love or escaping her horrible life to live in a luxe castle. Then we moved onto more moder…