Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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Favorite Spring Books

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I’m so ready for spring!

I’m tired of the dreary cold snowy weather of winter.

We love to cuddle and read books while the wind wuthers, hopefully blowing in some warmer weather.

Favorite Spring Books

Here’s a list of fun books to celebrate everything spring: gardening, clouds, warm rain, wind, flowers, and being outside in the sunshine!

A Gardener’s Alphabet by Mary Azarian

With her signature woodblock prints, the Caldecott medalist Mary Azarian invites readers into her own garden to discover its simple joys. Revealing the variety of life underground, the bright comfort of a greenhouse on a winter’s day, or the anticipation of starting seeds indoors in early spring, this striking alphabet book reminds us that gardens are perhaps our best way to live closer to the land and to the rhythm of the seasons.

I Love the Rain by Margaret Park Bridges

Molly hates rainy days. The gray sky, the soggy wait for the school bus, they seem to make everyone grumpy. Everyone except her friend Sophie, who shows Molly the magic she has been missing.
The simple, poetic language in this lovely book takes readers on a journeyfrom the girls’ first tentative steps into the drizzle to a rain-drenched romp in a puddle. The lyrical text is perfectly matched by the joyful watercolor paintings, which capture not only the color and beauty of a rainy day, but the warm interactions of the girls’ blossoming friendship. An exuberant homage to finding pleasure where it’s unexpected, the power of imagination, and the joys of friendship, I Love the Rain will have readers singing, “Sun, sun, go away!”

From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer

Female frogs lay eggs in the water, but what hatches isn’t a frog yet—it’s a tadpole! This classic Level 1 Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out picture book shows the incredible metamorphosis that occurs as a tadpole loses its fishy tail and gills and becomes a frog.

Now rebranded with a new cover look, this book includes a find out more section with an illustrated guide to identify different frog species and a map showing where bull frogs can be found throughout the United States.

The Falling Flowers by Jennifer B. Reed

Mayumie and her grandmother take a trip into Tokyo to see a surprise even more fun than the zoo and more beautiful than the shrine: cherry blossoms flowering in the heart of the city.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

The white shape silhouetted against a blue background changes on every page. Is it a rabbit, a bird, an ice-cream cone, or just spilt milk? In this childhood classic, kids are kept guessing until the surprise ending, and they’re encouraged to improvise similar games of their own. This board book features sturdy pages and is just the right fit for small hands.

Zinnia’s Flower Garden by Monica Wellington

Springtime is here, and Zinnia can’t wait to plant her seeds and watch them grow. She carefully takes care of her garden, watering her plants, weeding, and waiting patiently for something to sprout. And soon enough, the first seedlings appear! With art just as colorful as a garden in bloom, young readers will enjoy watching Zinnia’s beautiful garden grow, and may even be inspired to start one of their own.

The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H. Joseph Hopkins

Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens.

Katherine Olivia Sessions never thought she’d live in a place without trees. After all, Kate grew up among the towering pines and redwoods of Northern California. But after becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a degree in science, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Where there were almost no trees.

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, bit by bit brightening the shop and bringing smiles to customers’ faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece — an ambitious rooftop garden — which she hopes will make even Uncle Jim smile.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

An array of collages follows the progress of a mother and daughter as they plant bulbs, seeds, and seedlings and watch them grow into a rainbow of colorful flowers

The Garden of Happiness by Erika Tamar

A littered lot in New York’s Alphabet City is transformed into a lush garden by people of the neighborhood. Young Marisol finds a small patch of her own, where she plants a large, flat seed. As it grows up and up, it surprises everyone and becomes the most special plant in the Garden of Happiness.

Spring Board Book by Gerda Muller

One of a series of chunky board books which lead young children through the seasons.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

Kim begins the garden, planting a few lima beans to connect with her father who died when she was a baby in Vietnam. Then Tío Juan, a farmer from Guatemala, gains purpose when he teaches the neighborhood children how to plant. Soon curious neighbors join in and together they grow a beautiful garden. With each bean sprout and cucumber blossom the residents of Gibs Street find hope and meaning in their little green paradise.

Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur

New grass and daffodils, hopscotch and kite flying, kittens under the porch and baby birds under the eaves are the subjects of Steven Schnur’s evocative verses and Leslie Evans’s luminous linoleum-cut illustrations. When read vertically, each poem reveals a playful acrostic, making every handsomely designed page a double treat for the eye as well as a joyous tribute to the season.

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson

Fletcher loves everything about spring: listening to the birds sing, smelling just-opened flowers, and playing chase with butterflies. But then Fletcher sees something he never expected to see in spring: snow. Oh, no!

But it turns out that spring has another surprise in store for Fletcher—a warm and wondrous one.

Jump into spring with Fletcher and friends!

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano

Following a snow-filled winter, a young boy and his dog decide that they’ve had enough of all that brown and resolve to plant a garden. They dig, they plant, they play, they wait . . . and wait . . . until at last, the brown becomes a more hopeful shade of brown, a sign that spring may finally be on its way.

Explore Spring!: 25 Great Ways to Learn About Spring by Lauri Berkenkamp

Combining hands-on learning with solid science, trivia, riddles, and terrific illustrations, projects investigate “the reason for the season” and include identifying trees and measuring their growth, recording soil temperature, and observing the forest floor. Bird migration and nest building are covered, and the movement of air and water is studied with experiments in capillary action and in such activities as “Making Parachutes,” Making Kites,” and “Mapping Air Currents with Bubbles.”

Everything Spring by Jill Esbaum

We think of spring and we feel warmer, sunny days, we smell the freshness of nature’s flowers blooming again, and we picture little chicks and furry bunnies. These adorable baby animals are fun to look at and they represent the spirit of renewal and life that is spring. Every young creature finally ventures outside to play as the dreary days of winter fade away and color surround us all. Spring is about being outdoors enjoying all that our wonderful planet has to offer—it’s about living life to the fullest.

A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman

A small boy imagines what it would be like to have his own rainbow to play with.

Spring is Here! by Heidi Pross Gray

Discover the world as it wakes from its winter slumber as the flowers blossom, the animals come out from their resting place, and nature comes alive during this season of renewal. Head outside and play soccer and baseball with your friends while enjoying a wonderful picnic lunch from the food you grew in your garden! Heidi has done it again with this wonderful, wholesome book about the spring season, tying family and nature together in a book that will leave you feeling excited about spring!

What Can You See in Spring? by Sian Smith

Books in this series introduce emergent readers to the four seasons. In Spring, children are taken on a tour of things they can see in spring including typical spring activities and new life and growth in the natural world. Beautiful photos, very simple repeated text, high frequency and decodeable words and strong photo-to-text matching make this a perfect book for early readers to enjoy.

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb by Marion Dane Bauer

March comes in with a roar.
He rattles your windows
and scratches at your door.

In this exuberant, rhythmic story, March, personified as a lion, enters a boy’s cozy home and leaves a trail of snow flurries and muddy footprints. The boy calmly observes the pouncing, howling, growling lion until in comes the lamb on the crest of a huge sneeze.

Escorted by grass, flowers, sunshine, showers, and animal babies, the lamb brings forth spring.

Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros

Have you ever felt the wind tickle your face or heard it whistle through your window? Did you know that some wind travels faster than a car? Read inside to find out more about what causes wind, and learn how to make your own weather vane!

Have you ever felt the wind tickle your face or heard it whistle through your window? Did you know that some wind travels faster than a car?

Air is always moving. We can’t see air moving, though we can watch it push clouds across the sky, or shake the leaves of a tree. We call moving air the wind. In this enlarged edition, find out about the wind – what causes it, how it can be used to help us, and how it affects the weather.

Kite Day: A Bear and Mole Story by Will Hillenbrand

On a windy spring day, what do Bear and Mole decide to do? Why, fly a kite, of course! But first they have to build one. They design, measure, and finally construct their kite. With a zoom, zoom, zoom the kite soars up, up, up in the air. But when a storm rumbles in –SNAP!–the kite string breaks! The chase is on as the two friends tear after their kite and find it in a tree, protecting a nest of baby birds from the rain.

Spring is Here by Will Hillenbrand

Sniff. Sniff. Sniff. Spring is in the air. Mole can smell it. But Bear is still asleep after his long winter nap. How will Mole wake up Bear so they can celebrate together? When a knock, knock, knock and toot, toot, toot can’t get Bear out of bed, Mole cooks up a special treat.

Spring fever is catching in this vibrant story of friendship.

Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert Yee

It’s time to put on your rain gear for a rainy-day romp!

With spring come April showers. It’s time to put on a raincoat, grab an umbrella, and head outdoors. The worms like rain, and so do the fish and frogs. But what about the cat and dog? In this lyrical picture book, one spunky little girl discovers just who likes rain–and who doesn’t–as she explores the rainy-day habits of the world around her.

A New Beginning by Wendy Pfeffer

The spring equinox signals the time of year when the days are getting longer, the growing season has begun, and animals give birth to their young. With accessible, lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, this book explains the science behind spring and shows how the annual rebirth of Earth has been celebrated by various cultures throughout the ages and the world.

How Robin Saved Spring by Debbie Ouellet

If Lady Winter has her way, the world will stay covered in blankets of snowy white and icy blue. Sister Spring will slumber forever and the winter will never end. Can Lady Winter really keep spring from coming or is there something the animals might do to help? Led by harbinger Robin, the animals are determined to wake Sister Spring, but what price will they each have to pay?
Through beautiful words and pictures, this enchanting tale about the battle of the seasons highlights one special bird who saves much more than just the day.

Bloom: An Ode to Spring by Deborah Diesen

Dig holes in the autumn soil.
Drop the bulbs in one by one.
Cover them with dirt.
Come spring, the bulbs will flower!

In this lushly illustrated story from Deborah Diesen that celebrates life and growing up, a mother and daughter plant a garden to see how something small blooms into something as beautiful and strong as their love.

When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes

Before spring comes, the trees are dark sticks, the grass is brown, and the ground is covered in snow. But if you wait, leaves unfurl and flowers blossom, the grass turns green, and the mounds of snow shrink and shrink. Spring brings baby birds, sprouting seeds, rain and mud, and puddles. You can feel it and smell it and hear it—and you can read it!

Spring Walk by Virginia Snow

After a long winter’s sleep, the soil is springing to life. Spring flowers break through the ground to welcome warmer days. Come with Grammy and her grandchildren as they explore and learn all about 24 different flowers. Once home, she teaches them how to plant their own flowers from seeds and make beautiful bouquets.

The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers

The root children spend the winter asleep. When spring comes, they wake, sew themselves new gowns, and clean and paint the beetles and bugs. All summer they play in fields, ponds and meadows before returning in the autumn to Mother Earth, who welcomes them home and puts them to bed once more.

When The Root Children Wake Up by Audrey Wood

Complimented with Ned Bittinger’s stunning illustrations, best-selling author Audrey Wood’s new version of a timeless classic is the perfect read aloud for this spring and gift all year round.

When Old Grandfather Winter disappears into his ice palace high in the mountains, Young Robin chirps her wake-up song to the Root Children deep underground. “Wake up,” she sings. “It’s time for the masquerade!”

Right away, the Root children set to work sewing their flowering costumes, and painting bugs with rainbows until they sparkle like jewels. Then, they frolic out into the world in a joyous chorus of color and song. They sing and dance through summer. But all good things must come to an end, and as the frosty autumn winds blow away the leaves and flowers, the Root Children must return to their underground bed with gentle Mother Earth.

Elsie and Pooka Stories – Spring by Lora Craig-Gaddis

These stories guide children through the Wheel of the Year in a way that is entertaining and amusing. Through these pages, Elsie, with her patience and gentle wisdom, provides a positive role model and instructor while children identify with Pooka. He asks questions. He makes them laugh. Sometimes, he even gets into trouble. They learn as he learns.

Ostara: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Spring Equinox by Kerri Connor

Ostara―also known as the Spring Equinox is a time of renewal, a time to plant seeds as the earth once again comes to life.

Ostara: Customs, Spells & Rituals for the Rites of Spring by Edain McCoy

Embrace Ostara as a point of balance in your life, a moment in time where both dark and light and night and day are in harmony before the light is victorious and carries us on to the bounty of summer pleasures. Ostara is packed with rituals, spells, recipes, crafts, and customs to celebrate the awakening earth.

This delightful guidebook will help you deepen your understanding of the spiritual aspects of this ancient spring holiday, and discover new ideas for expressing that spirituality.

Spring by Tanya Thayer

Crisp photography teams with easy-to-understand, repetitive sentences that encourage beginning readers to discover the world–one season at a time.

The Spring Equinox: Celebrating the Greening of the Earth by Ellen Jackson

Describes some of the ways in which people have celebrated the coming of spring, including the Mayas, the ancient Romans, and the Cree, as well as such holidays as Passover, No Ruz, Holi, and Easter, and suggest related activities.

It’s Spring by Susan Swan

Simple text and bold, beautiful paper sculpture convey the animal life, plant life, weather, colors, clothing, and feelings associated with the spring season.

What’s your favorite thing about spring?

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Easy Lo Mein

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We love lo mein but we can’t afford to get takeout every week nor do we want MSG that’s often in it.

My teen daughter complained the other day that holidays at our house are boring because we don’t ever have special meals. She said we cook too well at ordinary times to do anything extraordinary at holidays.

I’m hurt, but she’s not wrong.

This easy lo mein is pretty healthy and natural and comes together in a pinch!

It’s pretty easy to make lo mein at home and we add in the veggies and meats we like, customized for everyone.

I usually buy a bag of shredded carrots. I slice onions and bell peppers very thin.

The kids like the crunch of water chestnuts and baby corn.

You can add any veggie you like to customize.

I add some napa cabbage or some greens to steam as the last step.

I often top the bowls of lo mein with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

I often use leftover chicken or stirfry up a quick batch of marinated chicken breast or shrimp. You can use tofu or any or no protein for frugal meals.

We often just use a box of cheap spaghetti, but the Asian lo mein noodles really are superior. I boil and drain it and toss it with some sesame oil while I saute meat and veggies.

It’s best to do things in batches and then toss it all together at the end so it’s fresh and hot.

I tend to make a quick sesame teriyaki sauce that pleases everyone’s taste buds. Those of us who like a bit of spice just add some chili garlic sauce at the table. Chopped cilantro is also nice.

This quick and easy meal is a crowd-pleaser.

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Lo Mein

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

Lo Mein

  • 1 package spaghetti
  • 1 can water chestnuts, sliced or chopped
  • 1 can baby corn, sliced
  • 1/2 bag chredded carrots
  • 1/2 head Napa cabbage, chopped or baby bok choy or spinach or whatever
  • 1/2 medium bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 medium onion, sliced
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized pieces or shrimp or pork or beef or tofu

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 1/2 c Tamari
  • 1/4 c sesame oil
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1 t grated ginger
  • 1/8 c brown sugar
  • 1/8 c Mirin or sherry

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken or other protein: 2 T soy sauce and 1 T sesame oil. Add 1 T sugar. Toss in 1-2 T cornstarch. It should make a paste coating the meat.
  2. Boil a pot of salted water. Prepare noodles according to package instructions.
  3. Heat 1-2 T peanut or other mild oil in wok or large pan. Saute carrots and onions. Add peppers, water chestnuts, corn, mushrooms. Drain vegetables in a colander or on paper towels.
  4. Heat 1-2 T oil in pan. Saute chicken in batches until cooked through. Drain in colander or on paper towels.
  5. Heat sauce in pan and combine with noodles, vegetables, chicken. Use tongs to gently coat every noodle with the sauce.
  6. Add in Napa cabbage or other greens to steam the last minute. Divide into pretty bowls. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and/or sesame seeds. Season with chili garlic sauce to taste.
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Flavor Your Life with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

We absolutely adore olive oil.

We are reminded of our trips to Italy and Greece with this delightful and rich-flavored European Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

This wonderful olive oil works well in salads, marinades, sautéing, roasting, and drizzled over cheese.

We had a lovely Greek-inspired feast featuring this oil in almost all the dishes!

The fresh olive flavor is perfect poured over feta cheese and sprinkled with dried oregano.

It was served this way alongside fresh Kalamata olives and darling little bread rolls all over Greece.

I also made a Greek salad dressing with red wine vinegar with oregano and basil.

Traditional Greek salads don’t always have lettuce.

It’s just good quality olive oil and oregano.

The olive oil roasted gorgeous my eggplant and zucchini for Briami, a Greek version of the French Ratatouille.

I used olive oil in a marinade for Za’atar grilled chicken.

I sauteed onions in olive oil for Lemon Rice Pilaf.

I probably use olive oil every single day.

Olive oil also a great substitute for butter when making scrambled eggs or omelets. It imparts a unique flavor and health benefits.

About Flavor Your Life

The Flavor Your Life campaign, supported by the European Union, Unaprol, and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, is dedicated to providing the latest in industry news on European Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The program aims to educate US consumers so they can make informed decisions when purchasing Extra Virgin Olive Oil. To learn more visit flavor-your-life.com.

About Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Olive oil comes from the fruit (known as a drupe) of the plant Olea europaea, or European olive. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made by pressing without heat or chemicals. It represents the freshest
and purest olive oil available.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil is virtually free of acidity—below 0.8%. This is to assure its quality rather than its taste, because overly processed and rancid oils contain higher levels of oleic acid.
• Olive oils are also tested for peroxide values. Lower values indicate fresher oil and more rapid processing, and are required for Extra Virgin designation. Each oil is judged by expert tasters,
who must agree that it meets the high flavor standards of an Extra Virgin rating.
• These experts also test for taste defects and the presence of positive attributes of fruitiness, bitterness and spiciness. If the oil doesn’t have the signature fruity taste and harmonious balance
it won’t receive an Extra Virgin rating.
• Olive oil has a high smoke point (400° F), so it can handle anything from a light sauté to a deep (and deeply flavorful) fry. You can bake with olive oil as well.
• Between uses, store your oil someplace dark and cool (around 57° F, if possible), not on a counter or near a stove, and never in the refrigerator. Keep the lid screwed on tight and use
your oil within 6 months of opening and within 18 months of purchasing.

Why Choose European?

• The olive tree has been revered in Europe since antiquity. Over thousands of years farmers have evolved hundreds of varieties of olive trees (cultivars) and optimized them for different
environment conditions and terrains to produce the most delicious yields.
• The result of this centuries old bond between the people and the land is the finest extra virgin olive in the world.
• The greatest impact on taste is the type of olive tree (cultivar), region (which affects climate and soil), and time of harvest. Europe offers a vast array of flavor profiles, so keep a variety of
oils in your pantry for different occasions.
• Olives harvested early in the season, late August (varies by region), are under-ripe and produce oils that are greener, more bitter and pungent.
• Olives harvested at the end of the season, late November into December, are overripe and tend to taste mild and buttery.
• Spanish oil is typically golden yellow with a fruity, nutty flavor.
• Italian olive oil is often dark green and has an herbal aroma and a grassy flavor.
• Greek olive oil packs a strong flavor and aroma and tends to be green.
• French oil is typically pale in color and has a milder flavor.

About Zucchi

Zucchi is a premier Italian Olive Oil Company delivering traceable and sustainable products that you can trust. You can find Zucchi at Big Y, HEB, King Kullen and Shaw’s.

Learn more online:

Connect with the Flavor Your Life campaign online to learn more about European Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
flavor-your-life.com
facebook.com/ FlavorYourLifeNA
twitter.com/Flavor_YourLife

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Za’atar grilled chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts or thighs boneless, skinless
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1/4 c lemon juice
  • 1/4 c Za'atar seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic fresh, chopped or minced
  • 1 t salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Marinade chicken in all ingredients in plastic bag or bowl for at least one hour in the fridge.

  2. Grill chicken on medium-high heat for about 8 minutes per side. Don't flip often or push down or they will become dry. Grill until internal temperature reaches at least 155 degrees. (We think charcoal grills impart more flavor.)

  3. Serve with your favorite rice and salad!

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Favorite Poetry Books for Kids

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I love poetry.

I am raising my kids to be linguists, to love language and words and sounds and rhythms.

I read to them while they were being knitted in my womb. I read aloud to them daily and the oldest one is in college.

Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood. ~T.S. Eliot

I don’t teach poetry.

I don’t even teach English.

I don’t want to ruin the magic. We read it and sometimes discuss it. We ooh and aah over some of it. We giggle and act it out. We sing it.

The purpose of poetry is to enjoy it, not tear it apart or dissect it. I occasionally point out an example of a literary term or ask them to notice something special about a particular word, line, or poem.

Analyzing poetry is fine for high school or college, but not for small children.

Poetry is the place where language in its silence is most beautifully articulated. Poetry is the language of silence… It is interesting to look at your language and the words that you tend to use to see if you can hear a stillness or silence. One way to invigorate and renew your language is to expose yourself to poetry. In poetry your language will find cleansing illumination and sensuous renewal.

John O’Donohue, Anam Ċara

Poetry should be fun.

Poetry should be recited, performed, read aloud, acted out with costumes, laughed at, cried with, sung, shouted, whispered…read outside under trees while watching clouds and listening to the wind.

The Poetry of earth is never dead.

John Keats

We read lots and lots of poetry with our literature during our history cycles.

We also like to keep up with poet laureates for US and UK and other contemporary poets: Joy Harjo, Simon Armitage, Amanda Gorman.

Favorite Poetry Books for Kids

The Random House Book of Poetry for Children by Jack Prelutsky


The Random House Book of Poetry for Children offers both funny and illuminating poems for kids personally selected by the nation’s first Children’s Poet Laureate, Jack Prelutsky. Featuring a wealth of beloved classic poems from the past and modern glittering gems, every child who opens this treasury will finda world of surprises and delights which will instill a lifelong love of poetry. Featuring 572 unforgettable poems, and over 400 one-of-a-kind illustrations from the Caldecott-winning illustrator of the Frog and Toad series, Arnold Lobel, this collection is, quite simply, the perfect way to introduce children to the world of poetry.

This is a great poetry collection to get started.

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky


“No one better recognizes the essence of the child-poetry connection than poet and anthologist Jack Prelutsky…Here are more than 200 little poems to feed little people with little attention spans to help both grow. Marc Brown’s inviting illustrations add a visual dimension to the poems, which further engage young imaginations.” The poems are by 119 of the best-known poets of the 20th century.

The 20th Century Children’s Poetry Treasury by Jack Prelutsky


Here in one gloriously illustrated volume are 211 wonderful poems that represent the best this century has to offer. From sibling rivalry, school, monsters, food, and just plain silliness, to such ageless themes as the seasons, Who am I? and the many moods of childhood, this is a collection that begs to be read aloud and shared with the whole family. The poems, from every decade of this century, showcase 137 famous poets.

Poems to Learn by Heart by Caroline Kennedy

There’s a poem to celebrate every moment in life-whether it’s hitting a home run, watching a sunset, or laughing with your best friend. A poem is a gift of the heart that can inspire, reassure, or challenge us. Memorize it-share it-it’s yours forever.

These are just fun.

Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People by Jane Yolen

What colors do you see in nature – the green of a fern, the brown of a desert, the gray of a lifeless tree? Look closer. You’ll find more than meets the eye. Is that a white flower, or a star that fell in the forest? Is that an orange sunset, or a piece of fruit that’s ripe for eating? Is that a blue sky, or the slate on which a bird writes?

We love every single book by Jane Yolen. She has exquisite nature poetry books and celebrations for all sorts, in addition to fantasy and dinosaurs.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein

You’ll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

All of Silverstein’s books are delightful. I loved them as a kid and now my kids love them!

Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Poetry and Color by Mary O’Neill

Poetry about the colors of the spectrum, has become a modern children’s classic.

Rootabaga Stories by Carl Sandburg

Welcome to Rootabaga Country – where the railroad tracks go from straight to zigzag, where the pigs wear bibs, and where the Village of Cream Puffs floats in the wind. You’ll meet baby balloon pickers, flummywisters, corn fairies, and blue foxes–and if you’re not careful, you may never find your way back home!

Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O’Connell George

Join a young boy as he creates a world filled with origami creatures of all shapes and sizes out of an array of brightly colored paper. From roosters waking up and buffalo pawing the tablecloth to cheetahs racing lions and moths that yearn for butterfly colors, here is a glimpse into the vibrant imagination of a child.

Old Elm Speaks: Tree Poems by Kristine O’Connell George

This tree across the stream is a trickier bridge than it might seem…Deceptively simple verses reveal what trees think about and what they say to one another, as well as how they look and all the things they do for us. Humor and an unerring ear for the sounds of language make these poems an irresistible read-aloud; the luminous oil paintings evoke a country setting and the children who enjoy it through the year.

Julie Andrews’ Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton

Featuring a wide range of beloved classics from William Shakespeare, Emily Dickenson, and Robert Frost to playful poems by Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein, this is the perfect collection for families to share throughout the years. Julie and Emma additionally contribute a number of their own poems and reveal the stories behind some of their family favorites. James McMullan’s stunning watercolor paintings bring each page to glorious life with his spectacular vision and artistic point of view.

The Collection, now featuring a brand-new cover design, is packaged with a special CD featuring mother and daughter alternately recording twenty-one poems, some of which are recited together. This special keepsake anthology is one that readers of all ages will return to and treasure.

We have a slight obsession with Julie Andrews. We are not ashamed.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

There are more animals to find among the trees, and the kindly figure with his “promises to keep” exudes warmth as he stops to appreciate the quiet delights of winter. The handsome new vellum jacket will attract new and old fans as it evokes a frost-covered windowpane.

We love reading poetry aloud. We love writing limericks and fun poems of our own.

I love reading poetry to my kids.

There are whole series of about 12 poetry books – Poetry for Young People. Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, William Wordsworth, and Walt Whitman are just lovely.

I read to my kids from Shakespeare and Norton’s literature anthologies. I haven’t bought any kids collections’ of poems. We often check out fun poetry books from the library.

My favorite poets are TS Eliot, WH Auden, Seamus Heaney, Sylvia Plath…

Do you enjoy poetry?

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6 Steps Toward Financial Security

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Between the staggering statistics on average household debt and the difficult economic climate, there is a lot of discussion about family finances. If you struggle with budgeting, thinking about managing your money better can seem overwhelming. However, even small steps can make a big difference, especially in the long term.

Here some simple ways to start taking control of your financial independence.

1. Analyze Your Debt

If you are spending money every month paying off debt, you know how big of an impact it can have on your overall finances. You may have a goal of paying off all your loans, but that process can take several years. Before you start making bigger payments toward your debt, you may want to figure out the most efficient way to pay it off. You could start with the credit card with the highest interest. Maybe you want to refinance to consolidate your debt. Try to find the plan that works best with your income and goals.

2. Make Savings Automatic

You may find it much easier to allocate money to your savings account if you don’t have to think about it. There are several ways to make saving automatic. You can request to have part of your paycheck deposited in a savings account or set up an automatic transfer at your bank. You can also use a savings app to move money into savings automatically.

3. Recycle and Reuse

If a lot of your budget goes toward disposable items, you may want to think about changing to reusable alternatives. Switching to cloth napkins and ditching the paper plates can save you money and reduce your environmental impact as well.

4. Lower Energy Consumption

Utility bills can be expensive, but you can make a few simple changes to lower your usage and your monthly costs. Consider switching to energy-efficient light bulbs and low-flow showerheads. You can also use a programmable thermostat to reduce the load on your home’s HVAC system when you are out of the house.

5. Use the Library

For most families, entertainment takes a large percentage of the discretionary spending. Whether your family loves books, movies, or music, you can drastically reduce your spending by taking advantage of your local library. Most libraries have large selections of CDs and DVDs along with magazines and books. You can also check to see if your library offers eBooks through an online service.

6. Take It Slow

When you decide to take control of your family finances, it can be discouraging if you don’t see big changes in your bank account right away. However, changing your financial habits can take time. Be patient with yourself and your family, and find encouragement in small changes.

Financial management can take a long time to master, especially if you are overseeing all the income and expenditures for your entire household. If you are trying to save more money or pay off debt, there are several small things you can do to start moving in the right direction without dramatically changing your entire lifestyle. Reducing your home’s energy consumption, making savings automatic, and using the library are just a few ways to reduce your expenses and grow your savings.

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Learning Styles and Personality Types

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I have a master’s in education with a bachelor’s in English lit and a minor in psychology.

Knowing myself and my family members helps me to understand our interactions and work towards peace and cooperation.

Personalities, learning styles, emotions, and motivations have always interested me. This interest has guided my work with my students and my family. It’s important to understand and work with differences for good leadership.

My kids enjoy taking the tests and discussing the results. We learn about each other and it helps us in our relationships.

Enneagram

The Enneagram of Personality has been widely promoted in both business management and spiritual contexts. The underlying structure of Enneagram is based on testable ideas about motivations and emotions. There are 9 types.

I’m a combo 1 and 5.

My husband is a solid 3.

Two of my kids are 7 and two of my kids are 9.

Knowing and working from this knowledge helps us with conflict transformation.

We first heard about Enneagram about 6 years ago when we attended a hippotherapy family camp. That whole week was the beginning of improving our family relationships.

https://parade.com/899499/lesley-chen/enneagram-personality-type/

Learn your Enneagram here or here.

MBTI

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) personality inventory makes the theory of psychological types described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful. There are 16 types.

I am INTJ (which is apparently unusual for a female).

My husband is ENTJ.

My kids are ENTP, ENFP, ENFJ, and INFJ (which is apparently the rarest personality type).

Having only two introverts in a household of extroverts can be stressful.

When my 7-year-old son took the MBTI quiz, one of the questions was “Would you prefer your son to be kind or smart?” He didn’t hesitate before saying “kind.” I am so proud.

Find your MBTI type here.

Another fun personality test is the Gary Smalley John Trent test from Making Love Last Forever. I’m a lion and my husband is a golden retriever. You can probably guess how that works out.

The Four Lenses Assessment assigns colors. I’m purple and my husband is green. There’s a similar FREE test: True Colors.

Learning Styles

As a teacher, learning styles have always been important in the classroom.

I taught English for over 10 years…and incorporating all the learning styles in a lesson could be challenging at times.

As a homeschool mom, I make sure to include different learning and teaching styles in our educational activities.

Discover the Types of Learners:

There are four main types of learning:

  • Visual: The occipital lobes at the back of the brain manage the visual sense. Both the occipital and parietal lobes manage spatial orientation.
  • Auditory: The temporal lobes handle aural content. The right temporal lobe is especially important for music.
  • Reading/Writing: The temporal and frontal lobes, especially two specialized areas called Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas (in the left hemisphere of the two lobes).
  • Kinesthetic: The cerebellum and the motor cortex (at the back of the frontal lobe) handle much of our physical movement.

Pure Flix offers a variety of wholesome content to supplement homeschool curriculum for visual learners, and check out these 20 activities for learning with Legos to use with your kinesthetic learner!

I am definitely not an auditory learner. My teen creates little jingles and parody songs all the time and she has a great ear to teach herself piano and guitar. I try not to fall into the comfort zone of verbal and visual teaching all the time. Kinesthetic lessons help us all to learn by doing.

Multiple Intelligences

I’m careful not to place my children into a box. Schools make it more difficult for students to shine in their talents and abilities.

Howard Gardner uses the word “intelligence” where other people have traditionally used words like “ability” and “aptitude.”

I know what my kids exhibit as their natural abilities. We work together to hone that and also improve in other areas, without shaming. We want to be well-rounded.

There are 8 (maybe 9) intelligences. Moral or Existential is sometimes included.

I love how these Intelligences further explain personality and learning style. My extrovert family members are interpersonal. Two of my kids are so naturally self-aware, intrapersonal, that it astounds me.

Emotional Intelligence

An often forgotten issue is emotion. We learn and teach to stifle emotion…but that’s not healthy. We are a shaming and humiliating culture.

In our home, we are learning how to be healthy with our emotions – in all their mess and discomfort.

Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior.

Emotional Intelligence gained popularity in his 1995 book, written by the author and science journalist Daniel Goleman.

Since our culture stigmatizes mental health issues, I feel it’s very important to help my children realize their emotional intelligence. We discuss and learn together.

Getting in touch with our emotions, recognizing and experiencing both positive and negative feelings is key to being wholehearted.

We have many wonderful tools to help us wholeheartedly teach our children well.

I use these tools so I know myself and my children. I want my children to know themselves and their abilities and vulnerabilities so they can grow into whole and healthy adults.

More Resources:

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Everyone Loves to Get a Gift Basket

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Gift baskets are sometimes the best answer to the question “what should I send for a gift?” There are times when you may not know exactly what someone you only have a limited knowledge of would like, but you feel giving them a gift would be appropriate. A gift basket could be the perfect choice, check online to choose one of Canada’s gift baskets for the occasion. This Toronto company offers baskets to celebrate special holidays that include Christmas and Mother’s Day, and also wedding, birthday, baby baskets and several other theme baskets.

One significant advantage of sending a thoughtful gift basket is the very reasonable cost. Baskets can be delivered anywhere in Canada for a shipping charge of only $9.95 or less, and deliveries to the USA are also very reasonable at $14.99. Of course the actual price of the basket does not include the delivery charge. It should be noted that gift baskets can only be delivered to North America which includes Canada and the United States.

Shipping is not a problem no matter where the recipient of your gift lives. Your gift basket will be packed so carefully that you need not question that it will arrive in excellent condition. Whether the destination of your gift is anywhere throughout Canada or even in North America, next day delivery is assured for any order placed before 12:00 PM EST.

While you are no doubt aware that it is usually best to deliver your gift in person, there are times when travel is just not possible. It may be the distance is too far, or you may have previous responsibilities that you cannot cancel. Most people are very understanding about these situations, but a thoughtfully chosen gift basket will deliver your good wishes.

Canadian and American companies often have business contacts, and a gift basket sent from one office to another is a great way to foster good will. The gift can be a personal gift chosen for one person, or it could be a larger basket intended for the entire office staff. With so many choices available the basket could contain treats such as cookies or fudge, or it could be a sports themed basket intended to supply treats and beverages to be enjoyed while watching TV sports.

There is virtually no limit to the ways a gift basket can be packaged, so make sure to check out gift baskets when you find yourself needing to send a gift. You and the recipient will both be pleased with your choice.

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Favorite Valentine Books

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It’s fun to celebrate holidays and Christian holy days.

St. Valentine’s Day is a fun secular holiday and a great religious history lesson.

I like to gather books to read each month for the major holiday(s). It’s good to have themes.

The books on this list are fun, silly, lovey-dovey, and historical!

Our Favorite Valentine Books:

A Charlie Brown Valentine
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang in this retelling of a beloved Valentine’s Day TV special!

Charlie Brown is excited about Valentine’s Day. It’s the perfect excuse to finally talk to the Little Red-Haired Girl! He’s ready to wear his heart on his sleeve…and so are Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Sally, and Linus. Will the Peanuts gang find love once and for all? With Snoopy’s help, anything is possible!

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? by Jane Yolen
Even when little dinosaurs are naughty, it’s important to remind them that no matter what they do, they are always loved. In this book, readers will laugh aloud as parents cope with the typical antics of childhood, but in the end, hugs and kisses show your little one how much you care.

Snuggle Puppy! by Sandra Boynton
I used to sing this to my son when he was a baby!
A great big hug in book form, Snuggle Puppy is a year-round valentine from parent to child. It is bright, chunky, a pleasure to hold, and has a die-cut cover that reveals a glimpse of the joy inside before it’s even opened. Best of all, it’s packed, of course, with pure Boynton: her inimitable language, her inimitable illustrations, her inimitable sense of fun.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
“Guess how much I love you,” says Little Nutbrown Hare. Little Nutbrown Hare shows his daddy how much he loves him: as wide as he can reach and as far as he can hop. But Big Nutbrown Hare, who can reach farther and hop higher, loves him back just as much. Well then, Little Nutbrown Hare loves him right up to the moon, but that’s just halfway to Big Nutbrown Hare’s love for him.

Love Is by Diane Adams
This story of a girl and a duckling who share a touching year together will melt hearts old and young. In this tenderly funny book, girl and duckling grow in their understanding of what it is to care for each other, discovering that love is as much about letting go as it is about holding tight.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose! by Lucille Colandro
Our favorite lady is back and hungry for Valentine’s Day treats!

That lovely old lady has returned just in time for Valentine’s Day. Now she’s swallowing items to make a very special gift for her valentine!

With rhyming text and hilarious illustrations, this wacky version of the classic song will appeal to young readers as they follow the Old Lady on a wild Valentine’s Day adventure.
We never get tired of these fun rhymes!

Cranberry Valentine by Wende Devlin
“Suffering codfish! Somebody’s after me,” Mr. Whiskers groans. And somebody is.
It all starts on a gray February day in Cranberryport, when Mr. Whiskers admits to Maggie and Grandmother that he has never, ever, received a valentine. Then two days later, a big lacy valentine arrives for him, full of cupids, lovebirds, hearts and flowers.
“How sweet,” says Maggie.
“Revolting,” says Mr. Whiskers.
The next day three more fancy valentines arrive for Mr. Whiskers, and he begins to get worried…particularly when he hears that a lady in green has been asking for him all over town.
Then more valentines arrive and Mr. Whiskers is terrified! Should he hide or leave town?

Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane deGroat
Gilbert is all set to write fifteen friendly valentine cards to his classmates. But how can he write a nice poem for the boy who tweaked his nose, or the girl who made fun of his glasses? Instead, Gilbert writes two not-so-nice valentines…and signs the wrong name on both!

When his classmates read his poems, their feelings are hurt, and Gilbert’s prank quickly turns into pandemonium. But with the help of a friend and an honest apology, there’s always time for a change of heart on Valentine’s Day.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff
This follows Mouse as he makes valentines for all of his friends. Each Valentine is made to represent what he loves most about each of his friends, such as Pig “because she’s a good dancer” and Bunny “because she’s the best at hide-and-seek.”

Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Little Miss planted a kiss…

One small act of love blooms into something bigger and more dazzling than Little Miss could have ever imagined in this epic journey about life, kindness, and giving.

The Secret of Love by Sarah Burg
Accompanied by charming spare pencil drawings accentuated by bursts of red color, this wordless picture book follows two best friends as they, unable to share the special heart-shaped flower they’ve found, find a creative solution that celebrates their friendship!

The I LOVE YOU Book by Todd Parr
I love you when you give me kisses.
I love you when you need hugs…
Most of all, I love you just the way you are.

The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson
Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Valentine. I have written forty letters, but you’ve never read a line.
Set to the tune of the song “Clementine,” Alison Jackson tells the sweet tale of Valentine and her beau. Valentine goes about her day, doing chores around her mountain cabin, while her secret admirer is hard at work trying to ask her an important question. He tries many ways to contact her, including Morse code and smoke signals, but he can never complete his message. Will he ever be able to reach his beloved Valentine?

Mr. Goat’s Valentine by Eve Bunting
After reading in the newspaper that it’s Valentine’s Day, Mr. Goat sets out in search of very special gifts for his first love. But just what would a goat choose as the perfect gifts to show how he feels? Readers will be in for a surprise at Mr. Goat’s nontraditional selections.

Here Comes Valentine Cat by Deborah Underwood
Cat does NOT like Valentine’s Day. It’s much too mushy, and no way is he making anyone a valentine—especially not his new neighbor, Dog. Dog refuses to respect the fence: He keeps tossing over old bones and hitting Cat in the head! But just as Cat’s about to send Dog an angry “valentine” telling him exactly what he can do with his bones, Dog throws a ball over the fence. What is Dog playing at? Cat is in for a hilarious—and heartwarming—surprise in this story about being perhaps too quick to judge.

I Love You Already! by Jory John
Bear can’t wait to spend a pleasant day by himself. His persistent next-door neighbor, Duck, wants to take a morning stroll . . . with Bear. He just wants Bear to like him already. . .

A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger
See what happens to an ordinary kid on the most lovey-dovey, yuckiest day of the year-Valentine’s Day!

Cheesy cards, allergy-inducing bouquets, and heart-shaped everything? It’s enough to turn anyone into a monster!

YECHHHH!

But Crankenstein might just find a way to turn his sour day sweet… because even the crankiest monsters have hearts!

Valensteins by Ethan Long
Something strange is in the air on this dark, cold night.

The members of Fright Club are always ready to scare, but tonight Fran K. Stein has something else on his mind. He’s busy making something, and the other monsters want to know what it is.

Could it be a mask with fangs? A big pink nose? Or maybe a paper butt? No . . . it’s a Valentine!

That means one thing . . . EEEEK!! Is Fran in love? What could be scarier than falling in love?!?

Even the scariest of monsters have true feelings.

The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever by Brenda Ferber
Leon has a crush. A let-her-cut-in-line-at-the-water-fountain kind of crush. And he’s got the perfect valentine. But this valentine has no intention of getting caught up in any romantic conspiracy. “Love is yucky, kid! Valentine’s Day is all about CANDY!” the card yells at Leon, before leaping out the window and running away, leaving Leon to chase it across town, collecting kids along the way. Saying “I love you” has never been so yucky or so sweet.

Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio
Mortimer is looking for love. And he’s looking everywhere! He’s worked out at the gym (if only his arm wouldn’t keep falling off). He’s tried ballroom dancing lessons (but the ladies found him to be a bit stiff). He’s even been on stalemate.com. How’s a guy supposed to find a ghoul? When it seems all hope has died, could the girl of Mortimer’s dreams be just one horrifying shriek away?

Froggy’s First Kiss by Jonathan London
He can’t even think straight when she’s around. When Frogilina smiles at him through the monkey bars, Froggy falls smack on his head-bonk! So with Valentine’s Day just a week away, Froggy gets busy making an extra-special valentine. The fifth book about the irrepressible Froggy, this is sure to keep children giggling with delight.

Henry in Love by Peter McCarty
Henry is a bit of a dreamer and not much of a talker. Then there’s Chloe, who says what she thinks and knows how to turn a spectacular cartwheel.

This is the story of how one blueberry muffin makes all the difference.

If You’ll Be My Valentine by Cynthia Rylant
Charming prose and captivatingly sweet art create an adorable tableau of loving wishes from one little boy to all the members of his family.

The Valentine Express by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Minna, an appealing rabbit character, comes up with a great Valentine’s Day project which involves enlisting her little brother to do kind things for their neighbors.

Love and Kisses by Sarah Wilson
This little love story proves that a kiss is not just a kiss. It is a bountiful fount of surprises, spreading love far and wide and growing sweeter as it goes! What better message to give someone you love than one of such joy and happy affection?

What Color Is a Kiss? by Rocio Bonilla
This sweet, heartwarming story asks one simple question: What color is a kiss? Sassy and intrepid Monica loves to paint and sees her world in every color of the rainbow, but this question nags at her. She paints and paints, hoping to discover the answer. With the help of her mother, Monica discovers that kisses and love come in all colors.

Snowy Valentine by David Petersen
Step out into a snowy Valentine’s Day with Jasper the bunny as he searches the forest valley for a special gift for his loved one.

The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
Mr. and Mrs. Bear have never celebrated St. Valentine’s Day because they hibernate during the winter.

Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein
For newly hatched dinosaur Dinah, the world is an exciting place. There is so much to see and do. She tries this — STOMP! And she tries that — CHOMP! Then she sees a kiss and knows just what she wants to try next. Who can she kiss? And after a few disastrous attempts, can she figure out how to give someone a kiss without whomping, chomping, or stomping them first?

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond
One day it rains hearts, and Cornelia Augusta catches them. She realizes that the hearts are perfect for making valentines. Each heart is special in its own way, and Cornelia Augusta knows exactly who to send them to: her animal friends.

The Biggest Valentine Ever by Steven Kroll
When Mrs. Mousely asks her class to make valentines, Clayton and Desmond decide to make one together and give it to their teacher as a surprise. But things don’t go as planned. First Clayton puts too much glitter on the card. Then Desmond puts on too many hearts. Soon the friends are arguing and they rip the card in half. “I’m going to make my own valentine!” they both say and go home in a huff.
But then Desmond and Clayton realize that by working together they can make the biggest, best valentine ever!

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Perhaps not a traditional Valentine’s book, but it’s one of our favorites!
Dragons love tacos. They love chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. So if you want to lure a bunch of dragons to your party, you should definitely serve tacos. Buckets and buckets of tacos. Unfortunately, where there are tacos, there is also salsa. And if a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa . . . oh, boy. You’re in red-hot trouble.

Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day Is Cool by Kimberly and James Dean
At first, Pete thinks Valentine’s Day isn’t cool…until he realizes all the special cats there are in his life. Once Pete the Cat realizes how much fun Valentine’s Day can be, he decides to make Valentine cards for his family and friends. But what happens when he realizes he’s forgotten to make a card for a very important cat?

Love Monster by Rachel Bright
Love Monster is a slightly hairy monster trying to fit in with the cuddly residents of Cutesville. But as it turns out, it’s hard to fit in with the cute and the fluffy when you’re a googly-eyed monster. And so, Love Monster sets out to find someone who will love him just the way he is. His journey is not easy―he looks high, low, and even middle-ish. But as he soon finds out, in the blink of a googly eye, love can find you when you least expect it.
This whole series is cute!

Groggle’s Monster Valentine by Diana Murray
Groggle has been up all night making a Valentine’s Day card. This isn’t just any Valentine, though, and it has to be perfect—it’s for Snarlina, his beast friend in the whole wide world.

Searching in the dark forest, he finds just the right heart-shaped leaves. He collects some bog slime and squirts everything he wants to say in bold, gooey letters. Groggle’s creation looks horribly good. But there’s just one problem—gobble, crunch, crunch, slurp! He has a monster appetite!

Groggle tries again, this time writing poem after poem to make sure he has some extras just in case. He picks skunk flowers, carefully ties on snake bows, and sprinkles shiny beetle glitter. He decorates each card with care. But . . . gobble, crunch, crunch, slurp! Groggle’s monster impulses foil his efforts and he’s run out of time.

Will Groggle ever be able to give his toothsome, stomping, monstrous friend Snarlina a Valentine? Find out in this monster of a tale.

Slugs in Love by Susan Pearson
Marylou loves everything about Herbie—how his slime trail glistens in the dark, how he can stretch himself thin to squeeze inside the cellar window, and how he always finds the juiciest tomatoes. But Marylou is a shy slug. How can she get Herbie to notice her? Find out how Marylou woos her beloved in this must-have love story that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.

This Is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins
This book is not a valentine. It doesn’t have lacey edges or sugary hearts. But it is full of lucky rocks, secret hiding spots, and gumball machine treasures. This is a book about waiting in line and wishing for cinnamon buns. About recognizing that if you care so much about someone not thinking you care, maybe you really do. But wait—isn’t that exactly what love is about? Maybe this book is sort of a valentine after all. A testament to handmade, wacky, bashful, honest love—sure to win over the hearts of all readers—this offering from debut picture book author Carter Higgins and children’s book veteran Lucy Ruth Cummins is the perfect gift to celebrate every relationship, from parent to child, sibling to sibling, partner to partner, crush to crush.

Ollie’s Valentine by Olivier Dunrea
Looking for a valentine. Gossie, Gertie, Peedie, and BooBoo all have valentines, but Ollie wonders who will be his. His search leads him to a special valentine of his very own—a surprise for Ollie!

Love is You & Me by Monica Sheehan
A sweet celebration of what LOVE is all about!

This adorable book, by best-selling author/illustrator Monica Sheehan, helps us to remember that LOVE— whether between a parent and child, best friends, or even a dog and a mouse—is the greatest gift of ALL.

Never Too Little to Love by Jeanne Willis
Tiny Too-Little loves someone who’s very, very tall, and Tiny wants a kiss. What if he stands on his tiptoes on top of a thimble? What if he stands on his tiptoes on top of a matchbox on top of a thimble? Clever cut-away pages show Tiny’s precarious pile growing higher and higher, while the object of his affection stays just out of reach. When the teetering stack finally falls with a crash, will his hopes be dashed? How can a tiny mouse get the kiss he needs?

Consider Love: Its Moods and Many Ways by Sandra Boynton
From the sentimental to the soulful, this delightful book explores the many and curious modes of love using adorable pictures and pleasing phrases. Also it rhymes. And it makes a fantastically thoughtful gift that anyone will, well, love!

This refreshed edition of Sandra Boynton’s celebrated tribute to affection, devotion, and all things lovely features the original endearing illustrations with an all-new cover—and a whole lotta heart.

Love by Matt de la Peña
“In the beginning there is light
and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed
and the sound of their voices is love.
…
A cab driver plays love softly on his radio
while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city
and everything smells new, and it smells like life.”

I Am Loved by Nikki Giovanni
There is nothing more important to a child than to feel loved, and this gorgeous gathering of poems written by Nikki Giovanni celebrates exactly that. Hand-selected by Newbery honoree Ashley Bryan, he has, with his masterful flourish of color, shape, and movement, added a visual layering that drums the most impartant message of all to young, old, parent, child, grandparent, and friend alike: You are loved. You are loved. You are loved.

My Valentine for Jesus by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
This Valentine holiday book for young children will help parents of children ages 2-5 share the meaning of love. The rhyming text and delightful illustrations tell the story of a child’s love for his family―and his special love for Jesus.

The Story of Valentine’s Day by Clyde Robert Bulla
Everybody knows what Valentine’s Day means: Red and pink hearts, flowers and chocolates, and cards and letters with sweet sayings written on them. But why? Who was St. Valentine, anyway?

Here is a close look at one of our oldest and most mysterious holidays. The ancient legends behind the celebration are revealed – including how Valentine’s Day evolved over the centuries and who wrote the very first valentine.

Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
How did Valentine’s Day, one of our most popular holidays, begin?
It started in ancient Rome when a kind physician named Valentine took an interest in a young blind girl. With his healing skill and his deep faith he restored her sight. What we now call Valentine’s Day began when he sent the little girl a secret message, which she received after the Christian martyr was executed. For this tale rich in sentiment, master illustrator Robert Sabuda has created exquisite paper mosaics to suggest early Christian art that resonates with both subtlety and power.

The Story of Valentine’s Day by Nancy Skarmeas
In only 200 words, author Skarmeas tells the story of how Valentine’s Day came into being. In simple words that every child can understand, here is the story of the kindly Valentine who cared for the children of Rome, who prayed for a miracle for a blind child, and who is remembered each February 14. Artist Pickett has painted the scenes in bright colors from the schoolroom scenes to those of ancient Rome. This book is unusual in that it briefly explains the history of a holiday to toddlers.

Saint Valentine by Ann Tompert
Every February 14 we exchange cards and flowers as expressions of love. Valentine’s Day is among our most popular holidays, But what do the words “Be my valentine” mean? Who was Valentine? We know he lived in third-century Rome, during the reign of Claudius II. We know that he was a Christian priest. But he lived during a period of military anarchy, when many of Rome’s records were destroyed. The facts of Valentine’s life have been lost to history. What survive, however, are legends. And legends often contain the residue of truth. Ann Tompert beautifully weaves together the most enduing stories of Valentine to create a tapestry of the saint’s life, while Kestutis Kasparivicius’s illustrations take the reader back to ancient Rome. Together, author and illustrator pierce the historical fog that surrounds Saint Valentine to offer a glimpse of the man whose life remains a mystery.

The Story of St. Valentine: More Than Cards and Candied Hearts by Voice of the Martyrs
Read the inspiring tale of Valentinus, the courageous Christian man behind Valentine’s Day who lived in third century Rome. Follow him as he goes against the Roman emperor’s edicts by performing secret marriage ceremonies in the woods and how he refuses to worship Roman gods. See how he faithfully followed Christ, even to his death.

What’s your favorite Valentine book or tradition?

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Kitchen Tools for Kids

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Our kids like being helpful and useful around the house and they want real tools, not just toys.

While we love and encourage pretend play, my kids also want to use real tools to make real food. Our kids quickly got bored with play kitchens and wanted to use the real kitchen. These tools are functional, sturdy, fun, and fit smaller hands well.

I’m a big believer in letting kids help shop for and make their own food, along with helping during the more boring preparation and cleanup. It’s an easy authentic way to teach about healthy eating habits and household management.

We live in our kitchen and show our love for each other by cooking and eating together.

I don’t assign chores or use checklists or charts. See how I motivate here. We all work together cheerfully to keep the household running smoothly.

These are our favorite kids’ tools for children to help with household chores.

Kuhn Rikon Knives were a huge hit for our kids. They loved the fun design and could really cut veggies, helping in the kitchen.

They’re sharp enough to chop carrots, but don’t slice into little fingers.

Peelers are appealing to kids and these bright fun ones are perfect for little and big hands!

We also like this spiralizer for all sorts of uses!

Toaster tongs are a great safety tool to keep little (and big!) fingers from getting singed by hot toaster parts. Toasted breads are an easy item for kids to make!

Even when they were too small to use the oven, my kids loved having their own oven mitts.

They would often just help by holding a corner of that cookie sheet to bring it near the countertop.

Silpats are great for nonstick baking and can also be used on the countertop for nonslip use when rolling out dough or kneading bread.


Immersion blenders are handy (almost mess-free) tools for whipping up sauces, scrambling eggs, and blending soups.

One of the first things our kids learn to cook is scrambled eggs and we love these pans for their quality, sturdiness, and nonstickiness.

This is my absolute favorite silicone whisk for so many jobs!

Electric kettles keep boiling water in a safe container rather than an open pot on the stovetop. The kids love helping to make tea!

Cleaning supplies made for smaller hands are great and my kids loved having their very own kid-sized items to help clean up!

Reusable cloths help get any cleanup job done with pretty colors and without harsh chemicals.

I love this fun mop, broom, and dustpan.

My kids each had their own broom set. The bright colors are really fun and they’re the perfect size and very sturdy.

Pretty soon, my kids are using the same tools I do and we’re dancing around each other in a lovely choreography as we make meals together.

You can see many of these tools in action here!

You might also like my Kitchen Essentials List.

What are your favorite kids tools?

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Favorite Chapter Books

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We love reading.

I read aloud to my babies with my finger following the words on the page.

Later, I help my preschoolers to sound out letters and then words.

Then, they begin reading picture books and early readers. These tools are helpful during this time.

Pretty soon, they’re reaching for chapter books and we alternate reading aloud pages, then whole chapters…

And finally, they’re off on their own, reading in corners, in the car, in the bathroom…during chore time.

I still love to read aloud, and we often have family reading time in the mornings and evenings.

We like high quality books, and historical fiction is a favorite.

I hated reading in school. I hated reading class and the comprehension workbooks. I aced spelling tests, but it was all so contrived and boring.

I read all the Sweet Valley High and Baby-Sitters Club books when I was in middle school. I didn’t have a mentor to introduce me to good reading material and I feel like I missed out on so much great juvenile fiction that I’m just now discovering with my own kids.

I want my kids to love reading for pleasure. We don’t analyze all the fun out of it.

Our favorite chapter books:

The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder


The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura’s real childhood as an American pioneer, and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.

Dear America books


Dear America is a series of historical fiction novels for older girls published by Scholastic.

The Royal Diaries series


The Royal Diaries is a series of 20 books published by Scholastic Press from 1999 to 2005. In each of the books, a fictional diary of a real female figure of royalty as a child throughout world history was written by the author.

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne


Meet Jack and Annie! Jack and his younger sister, Annie, are just regular kids. But when they discover a tree house in the woods, something magical happens. Jack and Annie are whisked back in time to the Age of Dinosaurs, a medieval castle, ancient pyramids, and treasure-seeking pirates. Every visit to the magic tree house leads to adventure!

The Imagination Station series by Paul McCusker


While visiting Mr. Whittaker at Whit’s Soda Shoppe, Beth and Patrick find a mysterious letter in the Imagination Station requesting a Viking sunstone. The letter is old and says that someone named Albert will be imprisoned if the sunstone isn’t found. Mr. Whittaker sends cousins Patrick and Beth to Greenland circa 1000. On their quest for the sunstone, the cousins meet Vikings Erik the Red and Leif Eriksson―and find the sunstone as they join Leif on his first voyage to North America. But the adventure is just beginning, for when they return to Mr. Whittaker’s workshop with the sunstone, there is another note waiting for them, requesting a silver goblet.

Geronimo Stilton books


Who Is Geronimo Stilton?
That’s me! I run a newspaper, but my true passion is writing tales of adventure. Here on Mouse Island, my books are all best-sellers! What’s that? You’ve never read one? Well, my books are full of fun. They are whisker-licking good stories, and that’s a promise!

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol


Leroy Brown, aka Encyclopedia Brown, is Idaville neighborhood’s ten-year-old star detective. With an uncanny knack for trivia, he solves mysteries for the neighborhood kids through his own detective agency. But his dad also happens to be the chief of the Idaville police department, and every night around the dinner table, Encyclopedia helps him solve his most baffling crimes. And with ten confounding mysteries in each book, not only does Encyclopedia have a chance to solve them, but the reader is given all the clues as well. Interactive and chock full of interesting bits of information—it’s classic Encyclopedia Brown!

Roald Dahl books


We especially like Matilda!
Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It’ll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

The Littles by John Peterson


Meet the Littles, a family like any other but with a few tiny differences! They live in the walls of the Bigg family house where they get everything they need. In return they make sure the Bigg house is always in good repair.
When the Biggs go away for the summer the Newcombs come to stay in their house. And the Newcombs are slobs! The mess the Newcombs make attracts one of the Littles biggest enemies: mice! Just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, they bring a cat to live with them. How will this little family get out of such big trouble?

Stuart Little by E. B. White


Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans, he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George, and Snowbell the cat. Though he’s shy and thoughtful, he’s also a true lover of adventure.

Stuart’s greatest adventure comes when his best friend, a beautiful little bird named Margalo, disappears from her nest. Determined to track her down, Stuart ventures away from home for the very first time in his life. He finds adventure aplenty. But will he find his friend?

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White


Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high up in Zuckerman’s barn. Charlotte’s spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur’s life when he was born the runt of his litter.

The DATA Set by Ada Hopper


Danger! Action! Trouble! Adventure! Introducing The DATA Set, a brand-new chapter book series for young readers.

What would happen if your next-door neighbor were a mad scientist?

Gabe, Laura, and Cesar live on a quiet cul-de-sac. They are the whiz kids of Newtonburg Elementary and each specializes in their own subject. In fact, everyone in town lovingly refers to them as the Data Set. However, their quiet days of learning take a sudden turn for the exciting when they meet Dr. Gustav Bunsen—a mad scientist who throws the kids into a wild spiral of adventures.

When Dr. Bunsen’s latest invention, a growth ray, hits several tiny animal toys, the mini beasts don’t just grow, they come to life! The DATA Set love their new tiny pets…until they continue to grow. Now there’s an actual elephant in the room—not to mention a chimp, a giraffe, and a dinosaur. When the beasts wander off, it’s up to the DATA Set to track them down. But will they catch the mini beasts before they grow big enough to start trouble in town?

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah Howe


Before it’s too late, Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household — a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits…and fangs!

Goosebumps by R.L. Stine


Discover the fan-favorite thriller and chiller that first introduced the world to the wooden face of fear. The puppet who pulls all the strings. None other than Slappy the Dummy!

Now with all-new bonus material revealing Slappy’s secrets and more.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren


Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another!

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner


The Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather.

The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon


A dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stored “in the tower.” Both towers of the looted mansion are searched in vain. It remains for the Hardy boys to make an astonishing discovery that clears up the mystery and clears the name of a friend’s father.

Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene


Eight-year-old Nancy Drew has her first case to crack! Can you help?

Nancy and her two best friends, George and Bess, are so excited! They have been invited to Deirdre’s sleepover party! There will be pizza, cake, and even a pajama fashion show. But the most exciting thing is that the party has a City Girls doll theme. All of the guests are bringing their dolls with them!

But then Deirdre’s City Girls doll — Hollywood Heather — goes missing. Is her sleepover ruined? Or is there a detective in the room who can make sense of this mystery?

Also, the classic Nancy Drew are still great!

Ramona Books by Beverly Cleary


Kids everywhere feel connected to Ramona’s unique way of looking at the world as she tries to adjust to new teachers, feels jealous about Susan’s curls, and is secretly pleased by Yard Ape’s teasing. The scrapes she gets herself into—like wearing pajamas to school or accidentally making egg yolk shampoo—are funny and heartwarming, and sometimes embarrassing. No matter what—Ramona’s lively, curious spirit shines through.

The Ralph Mouse Collection by Beverly Cleary


When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith’s red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. Whether dodging a rowdy terrier or keeping his nosy cousins away from his new wheels, Ralph has a lot going on! And with a pal like Keith always looking out for him, there’s nothing this little mouse can’t handle.

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary


Nothing exciting ever happened to Henry Huggins until the day that a dog named Ribsy walked into his life. From then on, the duo’s hilarious scrapes have never ceased to amuse. Whether Henry is scheming to raise money for his paper route or Ribsy accidentally overturns a boat during a fishing trip, these two will charm even the most reluctant readers.

Socks by Beverly Cleary


Socks is one happy cat. He lives the good life with his affectionate owners, Mr. and Mrs. Bricker. Ever since the day they saved him from a life spent in a mailbox drop slot, Socks has been the center of their world. And he always has everything he needs—tasty kitty treats and all the lap room he could want!

But when a new baby arrives, suddenly the Brickers have less and less time for Socks. Little Charles William is the one getting all the attention. Socks feels left out—and to show it, he starts getting into all sorts of trouble! What will it take to make Socks realize just how much the Brickers care about him?

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Fudge series Book 1) by Judy Blume


Two is a crowd when Peter and his little brother, Fudge, are in the same room. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. From throwing temper tantrums to smearing mashed potatoes on the wall, Fudge causes mischief wherever he goes!

Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel


From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other—just as best friends should be. These five adventurous tales are perfect for Level 2 beginning readers.

Wayside School by Louis Sachar


There’d been a terrible mistake. Wayside School was built with thirty classrooms one on top of the other instead of next to each other! (The builder said he was very sorry.)

That may be why all kinds of funny things happen at Wayside School…especially on the thirteenth floor. You’ll meet Mrs. Gorf, the meanest teacher of all; terrible Todd, who always gets sent home early; and John, who can read only upside down—along with all the other kids in the crazy mix-up school that came out sideways. But you’ll never guess the truth about Sammy, the new kid…or what’s in store for Wayside School on Halloween!

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan


Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna’s point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa’s advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?

Homer Price by Robert McCloskey


Welcome to Centerburg! Where you can win a hundred dollars by eating all the doughnuts you want; where houses are built in a day; and where a boy named Homer Price can foil four slick bandits using nothing but his wits and pet skunk.

The Borrowers by Mary Norton


Pod, Homily, and their daughter, Arrietty live under the kitchen floor in a quiet, half-empty house and get their livelihood by borrowing from the “human beans.”

Billy And Blaze by C.W. Anderson


Billy was a little boy who “loved horses more than anything else in the world.” Imagine how happy he was when he got his very own pony for his birthday! From that day on, Billy was seldom seen without his new friend, Blaze.
Riding through fields and woods, Billy and Blaze learned to trust and understand one another — and to jump over fences and fallen trees with ease. They were a great team, but were they good enough to win the gleaming silver cup at the Mason Horse Show?

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace


There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy’s age. So when a new family moves into the house across the street, Betsy hopes they will have a little girl she can play with. Sure enough, they do—a little girl named Tacy. And from the moment they meet at Betsy’s fifth birthday party, Betsy and Tacy becoms such good friends that everyone starts to think of them as one person—Betsy-Tacy.

Betsy and Tacy have lots of fun together. They make a playhouse from a piano box, have a sand store, and dress up and go calling. And one day, they come home to a wonderful surprise—a new friend named Tib.

The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh


In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. “Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble,” her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight!
The true story of Sarah’s journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all.

The Matchlock Gun by Walter D. Edmonds


In 1756, New York State was still a British colony, and the French and the Indians were constant threats to Edward and his family. When his father was called away to watch for a raid from the north, only Edward was left to protect Mama and little Trudy. His father had shown him how to use the huge matchlock gun, an old Spanish gun that was twice as long as he was, but would Edward be able to handle it if trouble actually came?

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski


The land was theirs, but so were its hardships.

Strawberries – big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven′t even begun their planting. “Don′t count your biddies ′fore they′re hatched, gal young un!” her father tells her.

Making the new farm prosper is not easy. There is heat to suffer through, and droughts, and cold snaps. And, perhaps most worrisome of all for the Boyers, there are rowdy neighbors, just itching to start a feud.

In Grandma’s Attic by Arleta Richardson


A young girl delights in her grandmother’s stories of days gone by, sparked by keepsakes and simple questions, Grandma shares marvelous stories of mischief , discovery, and laughter, such as the time she accidentally lost the family buggy.

All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor


Meet the All-of-a-Kind Family — Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie — who live with their parents in New York City at the turn of the century.

Together they share adventures that find them searching for hidden buttons while dusting Mama’s front parlor and visiting with the peddlers in Papa’s shop on rainy days. The girls enjoy doing everything together, especially when it involves holidays and surprises.

But no one could have prepared them for the biggest surprise of all!

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater


A humble house painter is sent a male penguin by the great Admiral Drake and, thanks to the arrival of a female penguin, soon has twelve penguins living in his house.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien


Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink


Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She’d rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother’s dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors — neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don’t understand her at all.

Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry


Joel Goss knows that Little Bub is a special colt, even though he’s a runt. And when schoolteacher Justin Morgan asks Joel to break the colt in, Joel is thrilled! Soon word about Little Bub has spread throughout the entire Northeast — this spirited colt can pull heavier loads than a pair of oxen. And run faster than thoroughbreds!

This is the story of the little runt who became the father of the world-famous breed of American horses — the Morgan.

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett


About a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby Dragon. The narrative mode is unusual, in that the narrator refers to the protagonist only as “my father”, giving the impression that this is a true story that happened long ago.

Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess

Welcome to the timeless world of the Green Forest, the laughing Brook, and the Smiling Pool. Here young readers will meet a menagerie of funny and fascinating animal friends — Peter Cottontail, Jimmy Skunk, Reddy Fox, Grandfather Frog and many more — and learn about their exciting adventures. Discover the answers to such questions as why Grandfather Frog has no tail and why Jimmy Skunk wears stripes. There’s also great fun to be had in reading or hearing about the grand goings-on at Mink’s swimming party, Little Joe Otter’s slippery slide, and Reddy Fox’s fishing expedition. These and many other adventures are told in a warm, whimsical way that combines gentle lessons about nature and wildlife with the fun of a good story. It’s a whole series!

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo


Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other’s lives. What happens then?

See all my book lists here.

What are your favorite chapter books for kids?

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