It’s the twelfth day of Christmas, and I am reluctantly thinking about packing away ornaments, curbing the cookie and candy indulgences, and moving seasonal books from the bookshelves. Stacks of old and new favorites about winter celebrations will move to make room for others. A few of these books stay on the shelf longer (okay, …
I’ve been having fun exploring some of the new Christmas books this December, new meaning books of this century! I wrote about my favorite old books last time, and now it’s time for some updated treasures. What I’ve been looking for is the kind of book I expect to become a classic; something that resonates …
It’s December! I have opened two windows on my chocolate Advent calendar and I am contemplating Christmas music – is it too early? I am browsing my Christmas boxes in the storage room and trying to remember which one has the seasonal kitchen towels and cookie tins. The only real nod to Christmas has been …
Let’s talk about Advent calendars! Yes, I know it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. We still have to get through the turkey, the thankfulness, and the history lesson of the (dubious) first feast. This year, thanks to the pandemic, we are urged not to travel and not to gather in groups larger than ten, if that. …
Tis the season! And this time I do mean that fall-into-winter glide through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I’d like to share with you some of the vintage books for these holidays that my children clamored for again and again back in the day. I’m always a little surprised when I see my favorite old children’s …
Hurricane Season Tis the season! No, not that one – I’m talking about the excitement of the Hurricane Season, that six-month period from June 1 through November 30 each year. Since we’ve lived within an hour of the east coast most of our adult lives, our family has experienced that hurricane thrill many times, thankfully …
The highlight of summer for this grandma and grandpa was a week at the beach with all the children and grandchildren. After months of little time with grandchildren due to the pandemic, we were able to gather and spend as much time as we wanted, and it was wonderful. There were balloons, bubbles, and books, …
Dick Bruna Books and Illustrations Lottino Dick Bruna, author and illustrator of the Miffy series, is one of my very favorites. Long ago, when my children were young, we played Lottino, a matching game whose illustrations were simple with bright colors. Now my grandchildren play the very same game, and while the box itself has begun …
children’s Books About Seasons in the Countryside The Year at Maple Hill Farm I’d like to share with you a couple of books about seasons in the countryside, written back in the last century before my children were even born. The Year at Maple Hill Farm, and Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm by …
National Ice Cream month July 19 is National Ice Cream Day, so here’s a chance to convince your young readers that they should really eat some ice cream! The third Sunday In July has been designated National Ice Cream Day, and indeed the month of July is National Ice Cream Month. In his proclamation in …