Alphabet and counting books fill the shelves of libraries. Some of them are cute and some are beautiful. Then there is I Stink! I Stink! by Kate and Jim McMullan is the perfect alphabet book for boys, and girls who love gross things. I Stink! follows the journey of a garbage truck through the dark... Continue Reading →
Patricia Polacco
I discovered Patricia Polacco when writing a book review on books about the Civil War. Polacco wrote a deeply moving picture book about a friendship between two boys in the Civil War, one from Michigan and one a runaway slave, called Pink and Say. (Pink and Say is not for younger children - I'd wait... Continue Reading →
Madeline and the Cats of Rome
I've already written about how much my girls and I love the Madeline books, but I think the newest Madeline book deserves some attention of its own. You're thinking, "Newest Madeline book? I thought the author, Ludwig Bemelmans, died a long time ago." Yes, he did. Yes, there were only a few Madeline books. But... Continue Reading →
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
I admit it. I love kids books that make me laugh. And Mo Willems writes and illustrates some of the funniest books for the preschool crowd. In Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, the reader 'interacts' with the Pigeon, who uses every one of his wiles to convince you to allow him to drive... Continue Reading →
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
When my children were little, I read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr and John Archambault so many times I could say the entire book by heart. And honestly, I was OK with that. Many a children's book grows old after reading it for the one-hundred-and-fiftieth time, but not this one. I read... Continue Reading →
What are YOU so Grumpy About?
A few years ago, when my youngest was in kindergarten, author and illustrator Tom Lichtenheld visited my son's school and talked to the students. Since then, he has always looked for and enjoyed Lichtenheld's books. One of his favorite books is What are YOU so Grumpy About?. This book is definitely a book to read... Continue Reading →
I Pledge Allegiance
If the children in your life are anything like mine, they ask a lot of questions. So many questions, that our first year of homeschooling consisted of me writing down my children's questions, going to the library to check out books which would answer those questions, and reading them to my children. I wish I... Continue Reading →
Robert Munsch
On a recent library trip, I discovered a book I had forgotten - The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. I checked it out and brought it home to read it to my girls. The first time I heard the book, a friend read it to a group of us after a dinner at her... Continue Reading →
Robert McCloskey
Make Way for Ducklings is Robert McCloskey's most famous children's book. If you've never read it, you and your children will love it. The story is sweet - about a mother duck shepherding her ducklings through Boston to reach a pond. But what really makes Make Way for Ducklings stand out are the beautiful illustrations. ... Continue Reading →
The Penderwicks
Our family's new favorite books are about the Penderwick family, written by Jeanne Birdsall. We love each of the four girls, who don't have a mother, but do have a doting and somewhat distracted father. The first book The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy introduces readers... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 