The other night my ten-year-old son was looking for something to read at bedtime. I handed him my review copy of Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, not sure what to expect. When I checked on him an hour later, he was just a few pages away…
We've loved our annual new year tradition of compiling the best kids' books of the year, thanks to all the major (and not entirely major) best-of lists and big children's book awards of 2015 from publications, experts, and organizations …
What a treat it is to put together our list of the best children's books of 2015. Not that it's easy; we've collectively read hundreds of great kids' books this year -- from cute, sweet board books, to excellent picture books for early r…
We've mentioned before that only 3% of children's books feature characters of color , and there are even fewer that feature kids with special needs. This makes me really sad for the millions of kids out there who want to open up a book a…
Every once in a while, a children's picture book will capture me in a way that I just don't expect it to. The Only Child by Guojing is one that has got me right now. This beautiful story, told only through illustrations, includes a littl…
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We figured this was a pretty good time to start looking around at some great -- and effective -- books about manners for kids. I'm sure you feel me; my family calendar is already so booked over the next couple months, which means lots of…
This is a sponsored message from I See Me! personalized books. If you're looking for a special, one-of-a-kind gift for your kids this holiday, check out I See Me! personalized books for kids. These award-winning books are a huge hit with…
We're getting close to the holidays, which for many families means road trips with the kids. And there's nothing more fun, right? Hahahahha. I recently did 16 hours in the car with my three kids -- each way -- and lived to tell the tale.…
I admit I'm a sucker for fantastic adult authors who turn their talents towards children's books -- and succeed. See also, Neil Gaiman . It's not an easy task for sure; it's hard to strike a balance between child-appropriate and childish…
With Halloween coming up, I did some browsing at my local library and bookstore to find some creepy books for kids. But, I wanted books that weren't necessarily tied to Halloween so that we could read, enjoy, and be spooked by them all y…
RJ Palacio's Wonder is one of those rare books that simply stays with you for a long time. At least for me and for my daughters, who often bring up this phenomenal YA novel in the course of everyday conversation, and refer back to it whe…
At very first glance, the cover of the upcoming The Story of Diva and Fle a cues some sort of classic French picture book. And then I scanned down to the author credit: As told & shown by Mo Willems and Tony DiTerlizzi. That's when I kne…
Every family has those terribly awkward and humiliating baby pictures capturing those off-moments you can't escape. Lucky for you, yours likely aren't included in a new book to be shared with the masses from the folks who brought us Awkw…
I don't know about you, but my kids aren't the most patient people I know. I'm not either, for that matter, but I'm trying. I promise. And I think my kids are too. Still, it's hard for all of us to practice waiting in a world where almos…
We love personalized books for kids , which always make special gifts for the kid who has everything. Also, what child doesn't need more books in his or her library? But now we've discovered a publisher creating personalized books made j…
Our superhero-loving kids are going to leap over a tall building to get their hands on The Superhero Comic Kit , an activity book that gives them the chance to write and illustrate their very own comic books. No super skills required, on…
If you ever pick up a newspaper in front of your children, turn on the news, or even have an adult conversation about the day's events, there's no doubt that they are aware in some way of the tensions, divisiveness and frankly, ugliness,…
It's so easy to find yourself on-the-go all the time as a parent, but having downtime is important. In fact, I think it's vital to being a good mom or dad. Of course, a few hours alone to get a manicure or go for a walk is so nice, but I…
My ten-year-old is the kind of kid who is still reading in bed long after his siblings have fallen asleep. But it can be hard to keep up with his pace, and continue finding age-appropriate fantasy and adventure books that tweens like him…
T he Day the Crayons Quit , written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by the amazing Oliver Jeffers, has been sitting on my kids' bedside table -- and getting read every night at bedtime -- since the day it came home from the bookstore. It…
This past Sunday, August 9, marked one year since the death of Michael Brown and the subsequent uprising in Ferguson, Missouri. Despite the many months that have passed, trying to make sense of the heartbreak and horror of everything tha…
We have no shortage of movie nights in the summer, but I would love to get my kids to crack open their books more often when school isn't in session. And I think I've found a way to encourage them to read more while still keeping movie n…
It may surprise readers of Cool Mom Tech , but I am pretty much a no-screens-in-the-car kind of a parent. Back when my youngest was still a toddler and four consecutive episodes of Dora meant a needed stretch of quiet. But now, unless it…