They had me with the titles: “Ready For The Day: A Tale of Teamwork and Toast, and Hardly Any Foot-Dragging” and “Ready For Bed: A Tale of Cleaning Up, Tucking In, and Hardly Any Complaining”. Doesn’t that sound like heaven? These titles from Free Spirit, written by Stacey R.Kaye, are like mini-parenting courses disguised as picture books. […] Read more…
Hockey! Scholastic Review and Giveaway
Is there any reader out there without a little hockey lover in her life? (And, on a related note, is there any reader out there who is not a Tim Hortons fan?) When I was trying to decide on a theme for this month’s Scholastic review and giveaway, I decided I’d like to have a look […] Read more…
Frieda Wishinsky: Review and Giveaway
Giveaway open to Canadians. I’m really excited this month to tell you about an award-winning, Toronto-based children’s author: Frieda Wishinsky. I have several of her Canadian Flyer chapter books in my classroom (they’re terrific historical fiction for kids, and “Beware, Pirates!” was on our School Board’s Battle of the Books reading list last year), but I […] Read more…
Stop Second-Guessing Yourself: Baby’s First Year
Ah…refreshing. I just received a copy of Jen Singer’s Stop Second-Guessing Yourself: Baby’s First Year, and it was a breath of fresh air which I inhaled in less than a day. It’s an excellent book: sympathetic, understanding, and not as judgmental as some of the official first-year bibles seem. (There’s lots of black and white […] Read more…
What To Read: Flashback Episode
No, there’s no writer’s strike…but every blogger needs a break, so I’m leaving you with a ‘best of’ post for your reading pleasure! First, here’s a title I haven’t mentioned, which is perfect for summer chick lit: A Mile In My Flip-Flops by Melody Carlson This one is extremely light and fluffy, yet with Christianity weaving […] Read more…
Read Me A Story: Review and Giveaway
Giveaway open to Canadians Hot off the press, Scholastic has a fantastic collection of five classic Canadian favourites entitled “Read Me a Story”. Included in the book: Henny Penny by Werner Zimmerman The Party by Barbara Reid A Second Is a Hiccup by Hazel Hutchins Sophie and the Sea Monster by Don Gillmor Too Many […] Read more…
Read It: The Secret Life of Bees
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is a few years old (written in 2003), but I just read it for the first time and I was blown away. It’s the kind of book-reading experience where you want to keep sneaking away to devour just another few pages. This novel was our latest book […] Read more…
Kids Need Nonfiction! Books About Canada – Review and Giveaway
Giveaway open to Canadians. Fact: kids love nonfiction. When we go to buy or borrow reading material for our children, we adults seem to be the most drawn to to make-believe. Maybe this is because our lives expose us to an abundance of non-fiction – newspapers, reports for work – and we crave a break, and assume the […] Read more…
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
If you have a child with autism, work with a child with autism, or live in a world where children have autism, you really need to read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. I had never even heard of this book until a coworker suggested it to me (thanks, Trina!) […] Read more…
Hope and Heroes: Scholastic Books Giveaway!
I have terrific news! I’ve recently teamed up with Scholastic Canada, and I will be bringing you reviews of some of their best children’s books, as well as fantastic giveaways for you and your family! If you have school-aged children, you have likely seen Scholastic flyers come home, and I encourage you to purchase from them […] Read more…