Nearly New and Absolutely Fabulous The Curious Garden by Peter Brown is great for city kids. Liam wanders through his grey city and stumbles upon a defunct railroad track. He decides to turn the old space green. The story follows his efforts through the four seasons, exploring the way nature, with Liam’s help, takes over […]
This week we celebrated sibling relationships. I am touched by the outpouring of sibling love posted on Facebook. I’ve taken some time to reflect on the depth of my relationship with my own sisters and the relationship my children have with each other. Yesterday, I looked online to see what’s going on out there to […]
To one of the most beloved children’s writers of all time. Here are the classics: Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary centers around youngest child Ramona but has much to do with the sibling relationship of Ramona and her older sister Beezus. Ramona and Beezus are such a joy to read about because we all […]
As many of you know, today is National Siblings Day! In honor of this complicated and wonderful relationship that is like no other, I will share just a few simple stories. The First Was OK, The Second Not So Much Just over two months before my third birthday I became a sibling. That is, until […]
For Young Adults The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is so popular with teens that it was made into a (highly successful) movie. In case you missed it and you like tearjerkers, you should dig into this one. 16-year-old Hazel meets Augustus at a support group for teens with cancer. The book is […]
Spring has arrived with all of its usual accouterments. The weather is up and down. Two days ago the thermostat reached almost 70 degrees. Yesterday it was snowing. There are buds on some of the trees. The grass is greening up and spring flowers are poking out of the still hard ground. There is fast […]
My bookshelves are full to bursting. I use the library a lot but there are not so infrequent times when I purchase a new book for keeps. It sits on my nightstand for a while. Then it emerges at the top and gets read. Then it’s time to find a place for it on a […]
Newbery Award for Best Children’s Book Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christian Robinson follows a little boy and his grandmother on their bus ride through the neighborhoods of Los Angeles. On the way, they interact with and comment on the diverse people and neighborhoods they see. The story […]
Every spring I get visions of tomatoes fresh of the vine in my yard. Anyone who’s ever had a garden tomato will probably agree that there’s no comparison to the store-bought variety. So, all you green thumbs, here’s a way to share the wealth with your local food pantry. You’ve probably seen a community garden […]
Green by by Laura Vaccaro Seeger is simply beautiful in its examination of the various shades of green. Green, the color of spring. Simple text. Seeger’s pictures are vibrant with the freshness of new life. For age 2-6. The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous is a holiday classic with beautiful pictures in soft, dyed-egg colors. […]