Teaching kids about racial justice with the best teacher ever: Langston Hughes.
Issues concerning civil rights and racial justice in America have never stopped being news. At least if you’re paying attention. However over the past few years, they’ve really become front and center in a more widespread way, thanks to the Black Lives...
Gwendolyn Brooks’s new children’s book offers a joyous lesson in empathy
Once in awhile, a children’s book comes along that’s equal parts timely and and classic, and that’s just how I’d describe the We are Shining, penned by the late poet laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, Gwendolyn Brooks. It’s filled...
15 amazing Langston Hughes quotes to help start important discussions with your kids
Today marks not only the beginning of Black History Month, but the birthday of the beloved, brilliant, prescient poet Langston Hughes, who would have been 114 today. As with all essential writers throughout history, his words live on long past his death in 1967. In...
Put a poem in your pocket: A fun way to celebrate National Poetry Month
By this point in the school year, my kids know not to expect the sorts of lunchbox love notes they got from me daily in September. But there are a few days on the calendar that inspire me to scribble something special to surprise them: Valentine’s Day (of course), St....
Novels written in verse (yes!), for kids, are must-reads for National Poetry Month
I have a new obsession: novels written in verse. Seriously, I’m flying through a few of these books a week and the best part? My kids are too. The fact that these novels are poetic gives them a lyrical beauty that’s missing in a lot of plot-driven stories...
7 must-have poetry books for young readers, in honor of National Poetry Month
April is National Poetry Month, so we’re having some fun adding poetry to our bedtime reading routine. Of course, any reading out loud to my kids is good for growing brains, but kids seem to have a special love for poetry–even before they understand the...
Our favorite Maya Angelou quotes, in honor of one of the best human being in the history of the world
I can’t tell you how sad we all are about the death of Maya Angelou today at 86. Starting with the must-read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings back when I was a kid, I was instantly captivated by her amazing command of the language, and how profoundly she could...
Goodnight Songs: A wonderful collection of new poems by Margaret Wise Brown
Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny were among the regular read-aloud books in my home for a very long time. So I am thrilled for her old and new fans alike that Goodnight Songs, a treasure trove of poems from the late Margaret Wise Brown, has been discovered and...
Honoring Black History Month with inspiring quotes from Maya Angelou
The history of Black Americans is filled with stories of inspiration and strength, so in honor of Black History Month, I was so happy to find artwork inspired by one of my favorite poets, Maya Angelou. Each piece features quotes that have been turned into artwork and...Father’s Day is Coming!
Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!
We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.
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