As a kid who saw creatures in my bedroom shadows at night, I always identified with the protagonist of Bedtime for Frances, who saw monsters in her bathrobe and had all kinds of other excuses for not going to bed. The new scary story for…
A few years ago, we fell in love with artist Marion Deuchars' smart, fun activity book Let's Make Some Great Art , which teaches kids about twelve great masters and encourages them to imitate their styles all over the pages. I'm thrilled…
Whenever I'm scrolling through Facebook updates, I can't help but stop and read photographer Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York photo feed. He has an incredible talent for capturing interesting portraits and poignant quotes about life …
This review almost didn't happen, because my daughter "lost" this writer's notebook; she'd written so many hopes, dreams, and ideas in it that she didn't want anyone, to see it. Ever. It's that kind of book. It inspires trust and sparks …
The lead character in Barry Jonsberg's excellent new book for tweens, The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee , isn't as strong as Katniss in The Hunger Games or as fearless as Divergent's Tris, but Candice Phee is still my new favorite…
Just out in the US from French author Fani Marceau is a new favorite picture book that I expect will become a permanent fixture on many kids' bookshelves: In This Book . It features the kind of repetitive structure that really appeals to…
I love how books can help kids adjust to new life events, like going to school for the first time. If your preschooler or young elementary student is nervous about these early weeks of school, or you have a kid heading off to a new schoo…
This is a sponsored message from Darby Smart Since the launch of Darby Smart and their clever craft kits, curated from the most popular DIY projects from around the web with the help of the original makers, crafters have gone nuts. With …
- This is a sponsored message from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - If you're particular with your picture books , and prefer the kinds of books you like reading as much as your children do, you need to check out the sweet new rel…
I don't know about you, but the books that get my reluctant reader the most excited are the ones that drive me nuts. You know, the ones that include a catchy little song that he can shout at bedtime, when he's supposed to be relaxing? Hi…
There are moments in stories I heard as a child -- lots of them in fact -- that have stayed with me my entire life. Charlotte's spider babies, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's wonderful cures, Peter Rabbit losing his jacket in what, at that time in …
I was instantly captivated by Hervé Tullet's 2011 best-selling Press Here , with it's "interactive" pages that remind us you don't need a screen to engage a child. Now he's back with a wonderful follow-up in Mix It Up! which is similarly…
Summer's dragging on at our house, and my kids are ready for an adventure. I haven't booked us a family expedition to, well, anywhere, so they're turning to books to satisfy their cravings. For my youngest, who still prefers picture book…
If you have yet to get your kids into gardening, you're in for a treat - kids are naturals. Last year my husband built us a small garden box in the back yard, and my kids and I planted some seeds and watched them grow into tomatoes and s…
Even if our plans today don't include a French military parade on the Champs-Elysées, in honor of Bastille day today, we're giving a special nod to our fashionable friends on the other side of the pond by featuring some of our favorite F…
We're in that long middle stretch of summer, moms. My kids have been out of school for a while now, and we don't start back for weeks, and I'm getting desperate for things to do to keep my kids busy. We happen to be big book lovers at ou…
I have a few non-negotiable criteria when I'm looking for a new bedtime book to read with my kids and The Bear's Song by Benjamin Chaud exceeds my expectations on all counts. This book is my kids' and my own current favorite bedtime stor…
They aren't as sly as a fox, as wise as an owl, or as puffy as a hedgehog, but the unassuming sloth is poised to be the next big thing for kids, as Liz and I noticed as we toured Toy Fair earlier this year. These slow-moving, surprisingl…
T his is a sponsored message from Generation Grit Mom of four, Laura Hale, was looking for action figures for her sons that would offer some of the wholesome, creative play accompanied by thoughtful storybooks that so many girls had alre…
Everyone's eyes are on World Cup soccer for the next month, and The Soccer Fence by Phil Bildner, a thought-provoking and hope-filled soccer book for kids set in the waning days of South African Apartheid, is perfect for reading breaks b…
We've featured some really great micro-gardening tools here over the years, like the cool Click & Grow smart herb garden , which helps to create gardening projects for those of you with kids -- but not a lot of space for traditional sowi…
I admit, the folk tales and stork mythology stories that seek to answer "where do babies come from?" don't appeal to me a bit. I want my kids to understand the actual facts in age appropriate ways and the right book can be perfect for th…
We are starting to get really excited about summer break around my house, but I know the inevitable chorus of We're booorrred will start up before too long. Luckily, I am armed and ready with a copy of Project Kid , the new kid craft boo…
#WeNeedDiverseBooks is currently the #1 trending topic on Twitter and is taking over tumblr with user photos of people from all walks of life holding up handmade signs about why we need more diversity in literature -- especially for kids…