Note: originally written in 2012 by educator, mom, and “education diva,” Ruth Spivak with updates and revisions in 2020 by Melissa Taylor. Mwahahaaaa! An awesome villain can really make a great children’s book. Oh sure, it’s great to have a hero who models virtue and courage, but it’s the villains who are often the most interesting and […]
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10 Favorite Spooky Chapter Books for Middle Grade Readers
written by Kathie MacIsaac, librarian and middle-grade book lover (full bio below) Do you like to read a book that makes you pull the covers a little tighter around you? Do you enjoy a story that gives you goosebumps, or requires you to sleep with the light on? Many kids love scary stories with ghosts […]
Continue ReadingAutumn Scavenger Hunt for Kids
by Rebecca Brown of Scavenger Hunt Guru. October is upon us and fall is in the air. The evenings are getting cooler and we are beginning to wake up to brisk mornings as well. The leaves are beginning to change to reds and golds and the kids are getting restless. What better way to enjoy […]
Continue ReadingBest Summer Beach Reads For Moms!
written by Christa Jimenez of Pura Vida Moms Hi, I’m Christa- writer, photographer, world traveler, foodie, voracious reader and bilingual mom. I love all things Costa Rica- including my soccer-loving husband and two bicultural daughters. You can find me at www.puravidamoms.com. Summer is here and many of us have a bit more time to read– […]
Continue ReadingHow to Help Kids KEEP an Innovator Mindset
written by Katey Howes, picture book author of Magnolia Mudd and the Super Jumptastic Launcher Deluxe Our children are born with the mindset necessary to be top-notch innovators. From day one, they are curious, flexible, and persistent. As babies and toddlers, every development milestone is achieved through trying, failing, and trying again. No blame, no […]
Continue ReadingApple-icious Recipe and Children’s Books (Perfect for Fall)
written by Lisa Amstutz Kids love apples—fresh, in juice or cider, dried, or best of all—as applesauce! Why not try making fresh, homemade applesauce with your kids this year? This easy crockpot version will fill your home and classroom with apple-icious smells all day long! Don’t forget to read children’s books like my new book, […]
Continue ReadingWriting Idea for Kids: Ultimate Guides
written by homeschooler, writer, and mother, Patricia Zaballos Writing Idea for Kids: Ultimate Guides Ultimate guides are well-loved around here. Currently Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide has been found sprawled in various settings around the house, attesting to its popularity–with my ten-year-old son, Theo, anyway. An ultimate guide is simply a rather cockily […]
Continue ReadingA World of What If
written by Luke Reynolds, teacher, and author of The Looney Experiment After being a student for many years, and now in my 12th year of teaching, I am in a state of constant amazement at what students e-mail to say they remember after years away from our classroom. It makes me recollect what is most vivid […]
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