Category: holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And, it’s time to reserve your Christmas books at the library, because once Thanksgiving passes, they’ll start flying off of the shelf (if they haven’t already…). So, after taking 3 years off, I’m back with my favorite booklist of the year — 25 Christmas books for the 25 days of Christmas, 2024 edition.

And if you need even more holiday joy, you can check out my 2018 Christmas booklist here, my 2019 Christmas booklist here, and my 2020 Christmas booklist here!

Continue reading “25 Christmas Books for 2024” →

Every year, I hear from many of you that you feel like you’ve got TONS of wonderful Halloween and Christmas books, but your Thanksgiving collections leave much to be desired… So, here goes— my huge list of Thanksgiving recommendations (specific to the Thanksgiving holiday —  be sure to check out this post for wonderful books about gratitude and thankfulness that comprises most of our November reading and influences most of our conversations about the Thanksgiving holiday). You’ll find it broken down by general category (I’ve got you covered from the first Thanksgiving to diverse Thanksgiving celebrations to books that will make you laugh and more!), and age recommendations are given as well, so hopefully you can find something to read with your children this month! Continue reading “Our Favorite Thanksgiving Holiday Books” →

It’s October, which means you’re already almost too late to try to grab Halloween books from your local library! Fortunately for you, I’ve got you covered with all sorts of Halloween reading. Below, you’ll find lists of our favorite Halloween picture books, Halloween books for the youngest readers, and even Halloween chapter books for your older audiences. So take a look below, put some (or all…) of these titles on hold from your local library, and have a great time getting into the spirit of Halloween this month!

For more Halloween-y, but not Halloween-specific, reading, be sure to check out my list of books about monsters, ghosts, witches, and more!

Continue reading “Our Favorite Halloween Books” →

You all know I love a good themed bookshelf, and there’s no better time to bust out themed books than just before a birthday! So, twice a year, our front-facing bookshelf gets turned into a birthday bookshelf, featuring all of our favorite birthday books. And, while there are some birthday picture books that we absolutely adore (in fact, we love The Seven Silly Eaters so much that when our oldest turned 6, she requested that we make Mrs. Peters’ birthday cake for her celebration with family!), there are a lot of birthday books out there that, well, just don’t do it for me… So, I thought I should share our favorites with you, so that birthday excitement in your house can involve books, too!

Continue reading “Our Favorite Birthday Books” →

Every fall we acknowledge the anniversary of the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. A few years ago, I decided that our girls were ready to learn about the events of 9/11, so we started to intentionally talk to them about that day, guided mostly through three of the picture books listed below. Knowing how sensitive and scary this subject can be for kids, I searched long and hard for books that we could read with them to help them begin to understand, in an age-appropriate way, what happened to our country that day.

Below, I’ve recommended five picture books that I feel are excellent books about 9/11 to read with preschoolers and early elementary students, as well as a chapter book that is perfect for middle grade readers (ages 10 and up). I’ve also got a few titles that I couldn’t easily get my hands on, so please check those out too, and comment below if you’ve read them and would recommend them (or not!).

Continue reading “Age-Appropriate Books for 9/11” →

It’s back-to-school season! Whether you’ve got a preschooler preparing for his first school experience or a rising fifth grader who is seasoned and suave, reading picture books about the first day of school can help children of any age transition to the next stage or grade. Below, I’ve got you covered for whatever grade your children are starting. You can find books perfect for first-time preschoolers, kindergarteners, bus riders, elementary students… I’ve even got a few books perfect for the siblings being left behind when their older brothers or sisters start school! Be sure to scroll all the way down for the list(s) that might be best for your family. Continue reading “Our Favorite First Day of School Books” →

Though I’ve had a growing booklist for Black History Month and have a few books about Martin Luther King, Jr. on that list, I had never made a list of books specifically about Martin Luther King, Jr. until a follower asked me for one. Fortunately for us all, many picture books have been written about Dr. King, but the flip side of that is that it can be hard to weed through them all and find the really engaging, interesting, and thoughtful Dr. King biographies for young children.

Never fear, though, because I did some weeding and came up with seven marvelous picture books about Dr. King for you to share with your children and students, whether you read them for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (which is coming up on Monday, January 18, 2021!) or other times throughout the year. Read on to see which titles made the final cut!

Continue reading “Marvelous Picture Books for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day” →