There’s nothing quite like seeing your child pick up a book and read it to himself for the first time. And even though we've been known to tell our kids to putdownthatbookrightnow! when we're trying to get them out the door for school, w…
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…
If you love the written word, if you're an avid supporter of your local library , or if you think Fahrenheit 451 should be required reading for anyone over the age of five, you might already know that this is the start of Banned Books We…
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 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…
Why settle for #2 pencils when these literary pencils are bound to be #1 on any bookish kid's school supply list? Whether you've got a tween into Harry Potter and Ramona Quimby or a teen with a soft spot for Alice or a hankering to be Di…
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…
I am an unapologetic Mo Willems groupie, in part because I don't think the author/illustrator has ever had a miss. Now, the .500 streak continues with his newest in the popular Pigeon Series, The Pigeon Needs a Bath . All just in time fo…
It's clear that Josephine Baker is one of those few celebrity icons who transcends generations. My parents loved her, I loved her, and now my girls love her thanks to the new book, Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker . And de…
When I first heard about 365 Day Subway: Poems by New Yorkers , a project started by friend, neighbor, and prolific author Madeline Schwartzman it was like one of those instant, "d'oh! Why didn't I think of that!" moments. Well there's a…
Shirts with a book cover or favorite quote are pretty cool. But you get even more bibliophile points for wearing a shirt with the entire book's text permanently embedded in the fabric. If you loved these book posters we covered, get read…
As the Big Day approaches (and that's Mother's Day with a capital M ), our thoughts turn to mothering: our own mothering, how we were mothered, and "holy mutha, did you see how expensive greeting cards are now?!" Of course, the internet …
When we first heard that Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks and Christine Koh of Boston Mamas , two of the women I love and respect most in the world, were putting their clever heads together to write a parenting book, well there was no doubt…
I love children's books with messages that support our values, but a lot of those books seem to put the messages ahead of the storytelling. In other words, I'd like to own more books that are as engaging as Eloise but maybe aren't how-to…
On my nightstand, there's a gigantic pile of self-help books stacked underneath a coffee cup. Not exactly helping much, unless you count them as an overpriced coaster. What you might notice if you peeked at my self-help lit pile is that …
Though my kids are mildly amused by the stories of my youth ( what do you mean, there was no internet? ), they are much more fascinated by stories about kids from faraway lands. So I'm excited to find a new series of globe-trotting books…
When my kids were really young, they loved to tell me long, adorably nonsensical stories about just about anything that crossed their minds. Now that they're a bit older, I miss their elaborate tales. These days, it's easy for tech-savvy…
Along with a housecleaner and a personal chef, what I really could've used when I was a new mom was a good laugh and a lot more funny parenting books. Because while I sat and rocked my newborn as she screamed, it was sometimes hard to no…
While we're big supporters of all the cool kids' music out there, there's so much great adult music that kids love too. And no, not just the Beatles. So I'm really happy to see one of my kids' favorite "grown-up" songs has been turned in…
I love paging through home-furnishings catalogs and feeling that combination of envy and absolute astonishment. Have you ever looked through a spread and thought: "who the heck lives like that?" Of course you have. Well get ready to laug…
Antonia Lofaso was absolutely captivating on Top Chef. I loved watching her seamlessly perfect results every single episode, and I appreciated her passion for being both a full time chef and full time mother. And now she's offering wisdo…
One of my very favorite things about the just-finished London Olympics was seeing all the gorgeous footage of the city itself. It's made me even more determined to get my kids over to see Big Ben, London Bridge and their picturesque city…
This past month, New York celebrated the 30th annual Mermaid Parade. For those of you not familiar, hoo boy...where to start. Well, maybe this gorgeous children's book that will charm all mermaid wannabes , regardless of age. Or gender. …
Raise your hand if you've ever struggled with a baby and sleep. Okay, so 99% of you. (The rest of you...don't rub it in.) Then, just when we think we have mastered techniques to help our babies sleep longer and more peacefully, new issue…