While at the mall with my daughters last spring, we grabbed lunch at Chipotle in the food court. As the girls dug into their soft tacos, the print on the brown paper bag caught my eye. Tears blurred the words as I read “Two Minutes About Sardines” by Fue Xiong. The author describes the last meal his family ate on their final …
Projects
Story Quilts
Last year, my daughter’s fifth grade reading class was assigned a historical fiction quilt project. Impressed with this assignment, I immediately started brainstorming how this project could be modified, specifically for younger readers. My daughters love to read. They often like to write stories and draw pictures. If you know kids like mine, this could …
Blackout Poetry
My 11-year-old daughter and I attended Books by the Banks in Cincinnati this October. When we entered the Author Pavilion, she rushed over to meet Chris Grabenstein, the author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Both of my girls were drawn to the book by the challenging puzzles that were woven into the story. After …
Bottle Buddies
While schools are preparing to open their doors for the first day of a new academic year, many parents and caregivers are scrambling for fresh ways to entertain their kids. My mom retired from teaching fifth grade several years ago. I remember Bottle Buddies being one of her favorite reading projects. Each year, she asked …
Summer Reading 2016
Remember to register your children for the Summer Reading Program at your local library. Have little ones? Check out this blog post for a fun library lesson that teaches kids to take care of their books. Children are also encouraged to mind their manners when visiting the library. For additional tips to prevent the “Summer …