This charming tradition began for our family when my children were very small. Like most children through the ages, they wanted to know how Santa really knew who was naughty or who was nice. Their answer, as in my own childhood, came in the form of a small pixie-elf.
The first time the elf arrived at our home, my children officially adopted him by giving him a name. Each year he would arrive around the holidays, usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility was to watch the children's behavior and report it to Santa each night. The next morning after the children awoke, they discovered the elf had returned from the North Pole and was now resting in a new and different place. My children would race each other out of bed to try and be the first to spy him in his new position.
All you need for Halloween fun right here: a craft, a book and even a quiz!
"Summer is over, now it's fall; just the nicest time of all." Check out award winning author and illustrator Lois Lenski's "Now It's Fall" from your local library. Read more →
Children get ready to read years before they start school. Grown ups can prepare children for reading by helping them have fun with words and stories.
Talking to children, asking them to share their stories in words or pictures, playing with books and singing rhyming songs creates the foundation for strong literacy skills. Read more →
Last week, while getting ready for work I was distracted by the radio; Sandra Cisneros was reading from her novel "House on Mango Street". It was a treat to hear an excerpt of this timeless book read in the author's voice.
Cisneros is one of my favorite writers. I've devoured everything she's written and have reread "House on Mango Street" more times than I can count. Years ago I discovered there was a children's book, "Hairs/Pelitos", created from the novel. Read more →
It's March and the Spring Equinox is just 11 days away yet we woke this morning to snow on the ground. While I'm completely ready to move past the cold and wet of winter, the snow was a delight to my little one. Read more →
Today we celebrate Dr. Seuss' 105th birthday. It was March 2nd, 1904 that Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts.
While most commonly known for the more than 60 children's books he wrote, "Dr." Seuss also drew more than 400 political cartoons for a New York daily newspaper during World War II. Eventually he designed and illustrated posters to support the war effort, and joined the U.S. Army where he was the leader of the animation department.
One of the most comprehensive sites on children's books, Planet Esme Book A Day, is authored by elementary teacher Esme Raji Cordell.
Cordell calls herself a "readiologist", is very passionate about children's books and offers wonderful reviews. Her suggestions will suit a variety of interests and ages. Check out her Planet Esme Book A Day blog for more book reviews than most of us could ever hope to gather!
The stick along with skateboard and baby doll were chosen for this year's entries into the Strong National Toy Hall of Fame.
"It's very open ended, all natural, the perfect price -- there aren't any rules or instructions for it's use" said Christopher Bensch, the museum's curator of collections. The stick joins 2005 inductee, the cardboard box, as an open ended and accessible play thing.
