Watching President Biden describe some of the details of his American Families Plan this week -- well, it's made me emotional. It's so much of what we've hoped for. And frankly, so much of what our own parents and even grandparents have …
As I was browsing ecards for teacher appreciation week, I was thinking that when I wrote about 8 creative ways to thank our teachers during a very different Teacher Appreciation Week last year, I had no idea that a full 12 months later, …
After such a long winter, it's finally bike-riding season: Hooray! And, whoa are you all getting on those bikes! I've seen so many kids riding bikes in our neighborhood, that my son's mountain bike team has doubled in size since last yea…
For years, we've gotten plenty of pitches from publishers for countless children's books about holidays. And by holidays I mean, generally Christmas. But that's starting to change, and we're so thrilled to see more representation of all …
When it comes to creating empathy and developing a commitment to justice and respect in my children, I tend to turn toward good children's books . While we've recognized AAPI Heritage Month through children's books in the past, the recen…
If you know anything about me and my family, you might have guessed that we'd be marking our calendars for the launch of My Little Golden Book About Dolly Parton , which will be added to the Little Golden Book library this coming Septemb…
This is a sponsored message on behalf of Star Stable Entertainment What do you get when you combine magic, friendship, and horses? The answer is... Soul Riders , the popular trilogy from Star Stable Entertainment, the makers of the popul…
It's a clear, gorgeous 65-degree day here today, and it's the perfect opportunity for me to send my 10-year-old to the back porch with a copy of The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself -- along with permission to do any of the fun eco-fr…
With Easter around the corner (this Sunday!!!), I'm thinking about how I'm going to fill three Easter baskets and dozens of plastic eggs before this holiday hops onto the scene. Instead of running all over the place, hitting the drugstor…
A few years back, kids probably wouldn't have considered hand sanitizer as a "cool" Easter gift like they would a funky lip balm or a springy AirPods case . But this year, OLIKA, who makes the cool, natural -hand sanitizers shaped like c…
Want an alternative to blowing all over the birthday cake? These 5 clever ideas keep the make-a-wish tradition and the germs to yourself.
You know we often turn to books when we want to help our children through their struggles and feelings, and this month feels like the right time to share some excellent children's books on grief and loss. When I think back over the last …
We keep looking for the silver lining in the past Year That Was Like No Other, and as we talk to other parents, one thing comes up over and over: "my kid discovered they really love _____." Whether it's manga or chemistry, dystopian fict…
Well, hey there scientists at Johnson & Johnson! Did you hear us singing your praises (loudly, and possibly with some happy tears) this weekend as your single-dose vaccine joins Moderna and Pfizer on the approved Covid vaccine list? Beca…
Here's what I suggest for the weekend: Entice your teens out from their bedrooms for a hilarious family game night using your set of What Do You Meme? game cards. Only surprise them when they open the box, to find that you've booby trapp…
This is a sponsored message on behalf of the Young Scientist Challenge Our long-time readers know we're big advocates of teaching kids to think critically , solve problems, and use their imaginations. In fact, we're pretty much counting …
Readers, get excited! The 2021 ALA youth media awards have been announced, and it's time to update our reading lists! In case you're not fully in the book-nerd world like me, that means our 2021 Caldecott, Newbery, Coretta Scott King awa…
I'm typing from behind swollen eyes today, the result of a day of crying tears of joy, tears of relief. Just a whole lot of tears . Lots of friends and readers have told me the same, and shared that one of the most profound moments of ye…
As we move on from the worst president of all time, some wonderful organizations are coming together to help us collectively process, plan, and heal. You can find the full schedule of official Biden-Harris inaugural events here, but ther…
I don't think our annual roundup of the best children's books of 2020 could come at a better time. As we're heading into a winter of quarantining in 2021, my goal is to turn off the TV more and open up more books. This is my sixth year c…
At my house, we always start the new year with new board games found under our tree, and this year, it's included some really fun board games inspired by 80s movies. As we face the fact that there's a whole lot of winter to go (and stay-…
All year long, we adore sending subscription gifts for kids , which are always some of our favorites to give -- and also, happen to make perfect last minute gifts for birthdays, holidays, or other celebrations. Our kids love to receive b…
This is a sponsored message from Candlewick Press It's hard to believe that it's officially the 20th anniversary of Newberry Honor book Because of Winn-Dixie , the modern classic by Kate DiCamillo that's captivated the imaginations of hu…
As we reflect back on all that has happened this year, it's clear that so many people are seeing -- and honoring -- all the work that Black women are doing to effect change. And all the work that Black women have always done. It's a lega…