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

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!

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site            By:  Sherri Duskey Rinker            Illustrated by:  Tom Lichtenheld

Ages:  Toddler through Kindergarten

 

This delightful book is about big machines at a construction site as they prepare to end their busy day.  Children will love hearing about all of these tough trucks.  The rhyming verse is very soothing and makes it a perfect read for bedtime.

 

 

 

 

Continue reading Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

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 Red Racer            By:  Audrey Wood

Ages:  Preschool through Second Grade

 

In this delightful story, Nona really wants the Deluxe Red Racer to replace her old bicycle.  Her parents feel that it is too expensive, so Nona begins to have wicked thoughts in order to get a new bike.  In the end, it all works out and Nona learns a valuable lesson.  This book has a great story and provides the opportunity for a lot of conversation.   It also shows the power of family and community.

 

 

 

Continue reading The Red Racer

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!

Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind             By:  Jessica Hische

Ages:  Toddler through First Grade

 

This book has beautiful pictures, but more importantly, it has a great message.  It is never too early to teach our children about the importance of kindness, patience, honesty, etc.  This book does it all at this very important time in our history.  This amazing book provides the opportunity to teach life long lessons.  Read, enjoy and reflect!

 

 

 

Continue reading Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind

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!

Tops and Bottoms             Adapted and Illustrated by:  Janet Stevens

Ages:  Preschool through Second Grade

 

In this clever story, Hare and his family have fallen on hard times and the rich Bear is very lazy and always sleeping.  This is the tale of how Hare outsmarts Bear through negotiating the use of Bear’s garden.  Through hard work, Hare and his family plant the garden while Bear continues to sleep.  In the end, Bear learns that he needs to take charge of his own life and the Hare is finely able to buy his own land for a garden.  They lived happily ever after as neighbors and that in itself is an important message.  This is a Caldecott Honor book for its amazing illustrations.

 

 

 

Continue reading Tops and Bottoms