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12 Character Traits: 2020, Book Recommendations

The “Grace” Series by Kelly DiPucchio

March 10, 2020November 6, 2020by childrenslitlove3 Comments

Do you know Kelly DiPucchio’s Grace for President and Grace Goes to Washington (both illustrated by LeUyen Pham)? If not, then stick with me to hear all the reasons that you should, especially right now. Are you looking for books featuring strong female characters for Women’s History Month? Yes, Grace is fictional, but she breaks through a lot of barriers for women! How about books to read with your children during election madness between now and November? DiPucchio has you covered! Need a refresher on how the electoral college, the branches of government, and checks and balances work? Maybe read these more for yourself than for your children… A diverse main character and cast of supporting characters? Check! Wonderful messages of making good on promises and using teamwork and cooperation to find compromises that not only make everyone happy, but foster inclusivity? You betcha! Now that I’ve got you hooked, read on for a bit more about each of these wonderful titles. Continue reading “The “Grace” Series by Kelly DiPucchio” →

Audiobooks, Literacy Tips

A (Nonsponsored) Review of Libro.fm

March 5, 2020March 4, 2020by childrenslitloveLeave a Comment

About nine months ago, I switched my audiobook membership from Audible, which I had used on and off for about 10 years, to Libro.fm. If you’ve never heard of Libro.fm, you’re not alone — I had also never heard of it until a friend in my book club mentioned that I should check it out, since I love both our local bookstore AND audiobooks so much. A brief minute on the Libro.fm website was enough to convince me to switch, and I haven’t looked back since. Read on to see an unsponsored review of our Libro.fm experience, why we love it, and some of the titles we’ve enjoyed listening to with our Libro.fm account. If you make it all the way to the bottom, I have a (nonsponsored, normal) referral link for you to try Libro.fm out! Continue reading “A (Nonsponsored) Review of Libro.fm” →

Book Lists

Terrific Books for Black History

February 14, 2020March 13, 2020by childrenslitlove5 Comments

As you likely know, February is Black History Month in the United States. Though this started as a week to raise awareness (Negro History Week) in 1925 and expanded to a full-month’s celebration in 1976, I urge you to take this Black History booklist use it, year-round, to educate and influence the next generation! While it’s important to remember that we do have a special month to focus on the amazing people who paved more smooth roads for future generations and their hopes and dreams, it’s also important to recognize these accomplishments and achievements throughout the rest of the year, too. You’ll see the big-name anti-slavery and Civil Rights leaders on this list, but you’ll also see lesser-known authors and artists, athletes and advocates, and more, as well as informational stories about experiences and movements in Black history. My hope is that we can all use this to continue to deepen our awareness of the contribution of Black Americans to our society!

So, whether you’re looking for specific resources to expand your students’ awareness of Black history during the month of February, or you’re hoping to help your children learn more about Black history throughout the year, I hope you’ll find the list below helpful! Bookmark it now and check in from time to time, as I’ll continue to update it as new titles appear (and, based on 2019 and 2020 so far, we’re on a terrific trend for stories about lesser-known people and events from Black history!). Continue reading “Terrific Books for Black History” →

12 Character Traits: 2020, random

My Year in Review, and Looking to 2020

December 23, 2019January 16, 2020by childrenslitlove5 Comments

This website has been live for a little over 13 months now, and it’s been quite a journey to learn how to run a website! This will be my last post till the girls go back to school in 2020, and I wanted to do a quick wrap-up of 2019, as well as give you a sneak peek of what will be happening with Children’s Lit Love content in 2020! Continue reading “My Year in Review, and Looking to 2020” →

Book Lists, holidays

25 Christmas Books for 2019

November 19, 2019November 15, 2019by childrenslitlove4 Comments

While I love all things Christmas, I especially love Christmas music and Christmas books. I come by it honestly — my dad used to play Christmas music throughout the month of December, and my mom had, at one point, what might have been the largest collection of various versions of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. I remember spending hours as a child curled up on the couch, listening to Christmas music and reading Christmas books. So, of course, one of my favorite things once I became a parent myself was to build my Christmas book collection, as well as to find new titles from our local library. Publishing a Christmas booklist was one of the tasks I was most excited to complete when I started my Instagram account a little over a year ago. Last year, I made what I think is an amazing list of 25+ Christmas books to read… This year, I’ve got a completely new list of 25 Christmas books for you to enjoy with your little ones this season! Continue reading “25 Christmas Books for 2019” →

Book Lists, holidays

Books to Foster Thankfulness and Gratitude Year-Round

November 4, 2019November 13, 2019by childrenslitlove7 Comments

It’s Thanksgiving month here in the United States, which means many of us are spending time with our loved ones, reflecting on what we are thankful for and recognizing our gratitude. As you follow me more, you’ll learn quickly that I LOVE a good themed bookshelf, whether for a holiday or something we have going on in our lives (when we get ready for a week at the beach we read beach stories, and when we realized my oldest was terrified of dinosaurs we spent some time with dino books!).

I usually check out books for our themed shelves from the library, because I prefer to spend my money on books that we can enjoy year-round, not just for specific holidays. If you’re like me, and you want Thanksgiving books that can be read year-round, then this is the post for you, as it’s full of wonderful books on gratitude and being thankful that can be read any time of year! Continue reading “Books to Foster Thankfulness and Gratitude Year-Round” →

Book Recommendations, Family Chapter Book Read Alouds, Literacy Tips, Middle Grade

Tips for Transitioning to Chapter Book Read-Alouds (and a Delightful Series to Try)

October 25, 2019October 14, 2020by childrenslitlove3 Comments

One of the questions that I often get asked is how and when to transition from reading only picture books with your children to reading some chapter books as well. While no one child will transition the same way, I’ll share some tips and tricks here for you, as well as recommend a delightfully sweet chapter book series to share with your children! Continue reading “Tips for Transitioning to Chapter Book Read-Alouds (and a Delightful Series to Try)” →

Book Recommendations

Spot & Dot by Henry Cole

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019by childrenslitlove1 Comment

Have you been following me from the beginning? If so, then you may remember that the third book I ever reviewed was Spot, the Cat by Henry Cole. It’s a true wordless wonder, so you can bet I was absolutely thrilled to see that Henry Cole published a sequel, Spot & Dot, in August. When I first saw buzz about this new book, I reached out to Simon to see if they’d be willing to send me a copy, and they happily obliged. Now, I’m here to tell you today that Spot & Dot is just as delightfully detailed an adventure as the original! Continue reading “Spot & Dot by Henry Cole” →

Book Recommendations

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

September 18, 2019September 17, 2019by childrenslitlove1 Comment

While I love reading almost anything with my girls, I get especially excited when they love some of my own favorite books from childhood. Books that I have such fond memories of reading and rereading and sharing with my parents and grandparents. Books that my parents saved for me, so now our own copies are tattered and falling apart and still just as loved. Books that at first glance may seem outdated, but have timeless storylines or messages. I’m guessing many of you share those same feelings about these beloved childhood stories! Today, I’m sharing one of these favorite stories: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, written and illustrated by William Steig. Continue reading “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig” →

Book Recommendations

All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell

September 3, 2019September 3, 2019by childrenslitlove2 Comments

The summer after I graduated college and was preparing for my first teaching job, I met with some elementary and independent school administrator. They gave me two repeated recommendations that stuck with me throughout my ten-year teaching career: to do a Responsive Classroom “morning meeting,” and to buy, read, and share with kids Thomas Armstrong’s book You’re Smarter Than You Think: A Kid’s Guide to Multiple Intelligences. Fortunately now, there are many wonderful picture books for children that center around the idea of multiple intelligences, and today I’d like to introduce you to my new favorite— All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell, illustrated by Allison Colpoys.

Update: Were you super excited about All the Ways to Be Smart when I posted about it in April, but got discouraged when you realized it wasn’t readily available yet in the United States? Well, your wish has come true! As of today, September 3, 2019, All the Ways to Be Smart is now available in bookshops or on Amazon on scribblekidsbooks.com in the United States and Canada! This is perfect timing to invest in this gem of a reminder for all kids for the new school year!

Continue reading “All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell” →