Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Good Night, Gorilla           By:  Peggy Rathmann

Ages:  Toddlers through First Grade

 

This absolutely adorable story is about a very clever gorilla and how he tricks the zookeeper.  Children will need to follow the story by looking at the pictures to see what is really happening.  A bonus attraction is to have them look for the mouse and the banana in every picture.  This fun book illustrates the importance of using book illustrations to help in the reading process, which is a vital literacy skill.

 

 

 

Continue reading Good Night, Gorilla

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Chicken Little               Retold and Illustrated by:  Steven Kellogg

Ages:  Kindergarten through Third Grade

 

 

This classic fable has been retold many times, but no one does it better than Steven Kellogg.  His amazing illustrations bring this story to life.  A little acorn set off this big adventure where all of the animals believe that the “sky is falling”.   In the end, the acorn grew into a beautiful oak tree for Chicken Little and her family to enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Continue reading Chicken Little

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Where The Wild Things Are            Story and Pictures by:  Maurice Sendak           Caldecott Award Winner

Ages:  Preschool through Second Grade

 

 

Where The Wild Things Are is another classic which appears on every book list.  In our story, Max  works through his feelings by engaging in a fantasy about amazing monsters.  In the end, he returns back to the reality and safety of his room and a warm supper waiting for him.  This is a great book to allow children to express their feelings and expand their imaginations.

 

 

 

Continue reading Where The Wild Things Are

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

I Am Enough            By:  Grace Byers            Illustrations by:  Keturah A. Bobo

Ages:  Preschool through Second Grade

 

 

I Am Enough is an amazing inspirational book, and should be read to children over and over.  It is actually a great book for any age.  The author, Grace Byers, uses common words to describe what we aspire to be:  “Like the sun, I’m here to shine.  Like the voice, I’m here to sing.  Like the bird, I’m here to fly and soar high over everything”.  The illustrations are beyond beautiful and perfect for this exceptional book.

 

 

 

Continue reading I Am Enough

Dear Reader,

The Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Rainbow Fish              By:  Marcus Pfister

Ages:  Preschool through First Grade

 

 

Rainbow Fish is another classic and a must read for children.  Rainbow Fish was the most beautiful fish in the sea, but didn’t have any friends until he decided to share his shiny scales with the other fish.  This beautiful book is the ultimate story of giving and friendship.

 

 

 

Continue reading The Rainbow Fish

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Scribble Stones            By:  Diane Alber

Ages:  Preschool through First Grade

 

In this delightful story, Stone just knew that he would some day bring happiness and that is exactly what happened.  He started as a paper weight and eventually became a scribble stone that brought joy to many.  Scribble stones have become popular the world over as people create and place them throughout neighborhoods for others to find.  On the last page of this wonderful book, the author gives the reader information on how to create scribble stones.  What a great family project!

 

 

Continue reading Scribble Stones

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that to along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day            By:  Judith Viorst            Illustrated by:  Ray Cruz

Ages  Preschool through Third Grade

 

All of us have had bad days and we must remember that children do, too.  In this classic story, Alexander had a whopping terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  It is important that children know that you can have a very bad day, and life does go on.  You don’t have to move to Australia which is what Alexander wanted to do.  This book is on every list of “must reads” for children.  It was also made into a movie!

 

 

Continue reading Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

The Wonderful Things You Will Be               By:  Emily Winfield Martin

Ages:  Toddlers through Kindergarten

 

This is an absolutely beautiful book that is a perfect bedtime story!  It celebrates the love that parents have for their children and all of the hopes that they have for their future.   It is done in rhyming verse and the illustrations are amazing.  This was a New York Times bestseller and is a must have.  The Wonderful Things You Will Be would be a perfect gift for new parents.

 

 

 

Continue reading The Wonderful Things You Will Be