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Board Books (0-3years)
February 13, 2023
Mrs. G

Multicultural Valentine’s Day Children’s Books About Love & Self-Love

Looking for the best multicultural and diverse Valentine’s Day books for kids?

Roses are red, violets are blue, here are some children’s book recommendations I’ve picked out for you!  With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to start spreading love.  Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to let those around you know you care and give a gift that is remembered.

Check out the books I’ve rounded up below and let me know in the comments which ones resonate with you and your little readers.

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black history
February 2, 2023
Mrs. G

Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better (Book Review)

Often called the “Father of Ice Cream”, Augustus Jackson is credited with inventing a better way of making ice cream.  He also figured out how to make it stay frozen longer.  His “secret” ingredient? Rock salt. Yes, Augustus Jackson revolutionized the ice cream making process we know today. His sweet legacy still lives on.

Augustus loved to cook, and he often made entire meals for his family. At the age of twelve, he used his extraordinary cooking skills to support his family. He applied for a job at the White House and he got it! It was there where Augustus learned to perfect his ice cream making skills.

By the age of 17, he worked his way up to becoming a cook at the White House. During his five years at the White House, Augustus served presidents James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson.

When he left Washington D.C., Augustus returned to Philadelphia with a new dream. He wanted everyone to enjoy ice cream, not just the wealthy and elite. So, in 1830 he opened his own ice cream parlor where people came from near and far to taste his one-of-a-kind ice cream.

In 1832, Augustus produced the idea to add rock salt to ice cream to make it freeze more quickly. He sold his new and improved ice cream to shop owners for $1 per quart making him one of the wealthiest Black people in Philadelphia during his time. The price of the $1-a-quart tins of ice cream he sold would be equivalent to $27 a quart today.


Augustus Jackson is reported to have died in a train accident in 1852. Following his death, his daughter and other relatives continued to run his ice cream parlor.

Fun fact: The first form of ice cream was invented in China around 200 BCE. That ice cream was made from a frozen milk and rice mixture.

This book is recommended for readers ages 4-8 and up. Great for young aspiring cooks, chefs, and confectioners.

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By Age Range
January 2, 2023
Mrs. G

The Best 22 Children’s Books of 2022 to Read Over and Over Again

Looking for some of the best children’s books published in 2022?

Below I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of children’s books that I consider to be among the “best of the best” that were published in 2022.  Rest assured, my children and I have read each of these books several times together throughout the year.  I believe these are books children (and adults) will be excited to read again and again.  Let me know in the comments which of these you’ve read or are excited to read with the little readers in your life.

Honorable Mentions (not included in this list): You Have a Voice by Vera Ahiyya and Fabiana Faiallo, It’s So Difficult by Raúl Nieto Guridi, illustrated by Lawrence Schimel and Finding My Dance by Ria Thundercloud, illustrated by Kalila J. Fuller.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you!

 

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Books for Adults
December 28, 2022
Mrs. G

The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection: The Books I Got for Christmas

Want to know which books I got for Christmas?  First, let me tell you about a holiday gift giving tradition that I absolutely can get behind.

Did you know that every year on Christmas Eve, Icelanders give books as holiday gifts? They call it Jólabókaflóð (Jolabokaflod) or the Christmas book flood. That’s probably one of the reasons why Iceland is currently the world’s third most literate nation. According to published data, 99% of Icelanders over the age of 15 among the island nation’s 376,000 people can read.  They LOVE books!

I read about this holiday gift giving tradition years ago in an article, but I was super excited to see a newly released picture book about it entitled The Christmas Book Flood.  That book is currently sold out everywhere and is definitely one of my favorite children’s books published in 2022. I’ll be sharing a list of my top children’s books soon, but I first wanted to let you know about ten books I received as gifts for Christmas that I’m excited to read in 2023!  Check out the list below.

Your turn: What books have you added to your collection lately? I’d love to hear in the comments if you care to share. Did you find any new books to add to your collection or check out from your local library?

Note: This blog post was inspired by Top Ten Tuesday. Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

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Board Books (0-3years)
December 27, 2022
Mrs. G

Diverse Children’s Books Publishing January 2023 Ages Birth to 12

This year, I’ve decided to announce forthcoming books on a month-by-month basis instead of creating a huge ultimate list. Longer lists become obsolete whenever publishing dates are shifted (which happens often).

Below you’ll find a list of diverse children’s books publishing in January 2023 sorted by different age categories. I hope you’ll find this list helpful when looking for book recommendations for your home, school, or public libraries.

Feel free to share in the comments which books your looking forward to checking out.  Happy Reading!

Which books should I add to this list?

 

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Christmas
November 28, 2022
Mrs. G

Black Santa Printable Coloring Sheet: 25 Reading & Writing Prompts to Prep for Santa

 

 

Looking for Black Santa children’s book recommendations?

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may know by now how passionate I am about talking about the importance of daily reading and having diversity in literature. Through years of reading and research on my own, along with my own firsthand experience being a parent of two children, I created this resource.  For years, I’ve been collaborating with other talented Black women to create useful resources that I give away (or sometimes sell), to help people and pass on the knowledge I’ve learned. Since 2015, my ultimate goal has been to help parents, caregivers, grandparents, homeschoolers, librarians, and educators create a diverse library at home or school so they can teach the children in their lives about the importance of diversity, inclusion and the power of reading. I collaborated with a talented Black female illustrator, Elisa Summiel, to bring you this FREE resource for the holidays.  Please support her and her work by checking out her website illustratedmelanin.com or following her on Instagram.

By downloading this “Black Santa Coloring Printable“, you can take your child’s reading and writing bedtime routine to the next level AND countdown the days until Christmas! Plus, you can have some fun along the way! This printable is for you if…

  • You enjoy celebrating Christmas or Kwanzaa with your family
  • You want to read children’s books that showcase a Black Santa
  • You are a parent, caregiver or expecting parent and have a desire to start or enhance a reading habit/routine with your children
  • You are an educator or librarian who wants to share this resource with your students and families for the holidays
  • You have a desire to help children understand the importance of reading books (and writing)
  • You want to have a fun way to countdown the days until Christmas with children

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you have a goal to diversify your bookshelves:

1. Start with a small subset of books if you have to, but just start. It’s okay if you start with a small, curated list of high quality books. If you can’t afford to purchase books all at once, borrow them from your local library or a discounted thrift store. Don’t worry about trying to check off all the boxes on this list at once. Curating a library takes time.

2. Keep going. Learning to embrace diversity and anti-racism is an ongoing lifelong commitment. Once you’ve started reading diverse books, one of the most important things to do is to make it a priority. Be sure to include diverse titles in your family’s ongoing reading year round. By doing this, you may find that your conversations will deepen over time and the connections between the books and your real life may grow organically. 3.

Let this be about you as much as it is about your kids or students. It’s great that parents and educators are now envisioning a more hopeful future for their children or students, but it’s important to also take this journey alongside them. Always remember, kids learn more from what we do than what we say. Be sure to invest any necessary time looking inward too. This may include diversifying your own bookshelf and expanding your immediate social circle. Relish in the journey together. Happy Reading!

Click HERE to download the printable for FREE!

You can find my other printable resources HERE.  Thanks for your support! Shop my categorized book recommendations here and here. Follow me on Instagram!

Your turn: Do you find this resource to be useful and helpful? Feel free to share in the comments. I’d love to hear what you think of it! Also, feel free to SHARE this resource with others.

 

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Lifestyle & Family
September 29, 2022
Mrs. G

Digital Equity Matters: Comcast/Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program for Families

Disclosure: This blog post was written in partnership with Comcast. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Have you heard about the Federal Government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)?

What is the Affordable Connectivity Program?
This awesome program provides eligible households with a $30 monthly credit toward your Internet and mobile services. Qualifying Tribal households receive a $75 per month discount on their bill. The federal program started as emergency relief for low-income Americans to ensure they could afford the broadband they need to work and connect with loved ones remotely during the COVID-19 crisis.

Who Qualifies for ACP?

If you qualify for ACP, you could receive high-speed internet for free, after the discount is applied.  How cool is that?

For example, if you are a customer of Comcast’s Internet Essentials service, which provides low-cost, high-speed home Internet to qualifying households for $9.95/month, as well as affordable computers, free WiFi hotspots, and free digital skills training, then you receive your service for effectively no cost when coupled with the credit from ACP.

ACP is intended to help low-income households access and stay connected to the Internet. If your household income is less than twice the federal poverty level– approximately $55,000 a year for a family of four or $27,000 a year for an individual – you would qualify for the benefit. Additionally, if you receive SNAP/EBT, Medicaid, or free and reduced-price school lunch, or if you receive certain other federal assistance benefits, you would also qualify.

Why Digital Equity Matters

Although it often seems like everyone is connected online, there are still people in the U.S. and around the world who are not connected to the Internet at home.  As a result, these individuals could be left behind with regards to technology.  Having a “connected home” which has access to high-speed Xfinity Internet is important for me and my family for work and personal use. My kids rely on it to do their homework, play games, and stay connected with their friends.  The Internet allows me to be more productive, collaborate remotely, and stay connected with the people who matter the most. Using the Internet for work and social events and meetings has now become essential rather than something that was merely nice to have. I believe remote work is here to stay for the near future.

Being a long-standing Xfinity customer, I appreciate that Comcast has made a one-billion-dollar commitment to advance digital equity.  They have partnered with thousands of non-profit organizations in communities across the country to increase awareness of, and participation in ACP, while also addressing broadband adoption issues like the lack of digital skills.

Comcast has a longstanding commitment to helping bridge the digital divide, and helping people stay connected to the Internet and moments that matter. Participating in the ACP program is a continuation of that commitment. Since 2011, Comcast’s Internet Essentials – the nation’s largest and most comprehensive Internet adoption program – has connected a cumulative total of more than ten million people to the Internet at home, most for the first time.

How Can I Sign Up?
Visit xfinity.com/acp or call 844-389-4681 for more info, to determine eligibility and to sign up. You can also visit your local Xfinity Store to learn more.

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Book Reviews
September 25, 2022
Mrs. G

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander (A Book Review)

THIS BOOK…WHEW! I was NOT prepared for the journey this book took me on.

New York Times Bestselling Author and poet Kwame Alexander is back with another powerful middle grade novel, The Door of No Return.  It’s the first book in an exciting new trilogy. It took me approximately 81 minutes to finish reading this book from cover to cover. When I tell you I was captured from the very first sentence, I mean it. Once I started reading, I had to find out Kofi’s fate and how this story would end. Kwame’s lyrical writing can transcend you and make you feel like you are a part of the story with the characters.

Written in verse, The Door of No Return is a historical fiction novel set in the 19th century in the Asante Kingdom (modern day Ghana in West Africa). Fair warning: Some parts of this book are hard to digest and read, but it’s an important story based on the transatlantic slave trade that NEEDS to be told. Where was this book when I was in middle school and high school?

The year is 1860 and readers are introduced to 11-year-old Kofi Offin. Kofi is part of the Asante Kingdom, he comes from a tight-knit family, he has a crush on a girl named Ama, and most of all he loves to swim.

“Where I go each day after school is both hideout and oasis. It is where I am student and king. A place that holds me and my destiny safely in its deep-blue arms. The river where I splash and splash and kick into twilight.”

While reading this book, readers learn more about Kofi, his family, his peers, his culture, and his teacher, Mr. Goodluck Philip who teaches him to speak the “Queen’s English.” You quickly learn that Kofi is an endearing character who you’ll be rooting for throughout the entire book. I felt a myriad of different emotions while reading this book: happiness, sadness, and joy. There are some heavy topics, but they are handled in an approachable way for middle grade readers and young adults. I could see why this book was hard to write as Kwame states in his author’s note.

The ending of this book took an unexpected twist, and it left me sitting on the edge of my bed wanting more…literally!  How will I be able to wait for book number two? I was left with so many questions and feelings afterwards.

Overall, I highly recommend reading The Door of No Return. It’s a compelling story with amazing storytelling that will captivate you from beginning to end. Five stars!

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children's books
September 10, 2022
Mrs. G

Ten Diverse Children’s Books with Geographical Terms in the Title

How do you teach your children or students about geography and geographical terms?

Reading geography themed children’s books can help kids understand the concept of maps and globes. These books can also help children locate different countries, oceans, and major landmarks easier.

Introducing young children to geography and geographical terms is a wonderful way to learn about how our communities, cities, towns, and neighborhoods work.

Check out the list of books below that have geographical terms in the title. Click here for a huge list of several geographical terms.

Spy any books you want to add to your bookshelf? Which one(s) are you most looking forward to?

This blog post was inspired by Top Ten Tuesday. Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

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children's books
September 10, 2022
Mrs. G

Never Forget: Children’s Books About 9/11

8:46 am. 9:03 am. 9:37 am. 10:03 am.

Many people who were alive on September 11, 2001 will never forget the day when four planes crashed in New York City, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania at the times noted above. Each year, I set reminders in my phone to pause for a moment of silence to pay my respects to the families who lost a loved one on that tragic day.

If you were alive, do you remember where you were or what you were doing when you first heard about the 9/11 attacks? I was just pulling into the parking lot at my corporate job, and I heard the news on the radio. I remember it being one of the most unproductive and sad days at work.

Much like the current pandemic we’re still experiencing, many people divide history into pre-September 11th and post-September 11th life. The 9/11 terrorist attacks altered our lives forever in many ways. September 11th has now become a day of reflection and remembrance for many. It’s a day to mourn the many lives lost, give thanks, and hug our loved ones a little tighter.

If you are a parent or educator looking for age-appropriate books and resources to talk to children about the unprecedented date, check some of these titles out.

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Book Reviews
September 2, 2022
Mrs. G

Virtual Book Tour: My Pet Feet by Josh Funk, illustrated by Billy Yong

A book written without the letter “R” in it? (That is until the missing “R” is finally found.) File this one under one of the most clever picture books I’ve ever seen!

One day, a little girl wakes up and notices her pet ferret Doodles doesn’t look quite right.  She also realizes that somehow the letter “R” has vanished from the alphabet on the wall in her room.

Without the letter “R” her pet ferret becomes her pet feet. In fact, all things that contain the letter “R” transform into words without an “R”. This turns the entire town upside down. The girl doesn’t know how to fix this, but she knows she has to come up with a plan to save her pet and her town – and FAST!

This book takes readers on a hilarious and witty adventure to find out what happened to the eighteenth symbol of the alphabet.

Here are a few things I think this book did really well:

  • The overall concept – I mean, how does Josh Funk always think of these amazingly clever story plots?
  • The illustrations – Illustrator Billy Yong did a brilliant job crafting the illustrations and facial expressions throughout the book.
  • Play on words – The way Josh Funk played with vocabulary words to account for the missing ‘R’s’ was genius. It’s so funny to read about the flock of cows, kids riding on go-cats, and the police officer on the ack of a galloping hose!
  • The attention to detail (both in illustration and text). I love the way the author and illustrator incorporated both humorous and meaningful details (thank you for showing the little Black girl wearing a bonnet at bedtime). Also, don’t miss the character Moe who is one of the townspeople and the before and after illustrations of the town without the letter “R” and with the letter “R” once it’s restored.
  • The subtle lessons and teaching moments – Feelings, how one missing letter can change words, friendship, how to apologize to others.
  • The twist at the end which hints at another potential picture book to be written in the future.

Check out a few reviews My Pet Feet has already received:

“My Pet Feet is funny and exciting to read! The wordplay creates many entertaining scenarios and will have kids searching the illustrations for additional cases of the ‘missing R.’ Families, teachers, and KIDS will love this!”

—Joanna Robertson, The Treehouse Reading and Arts Center, New York Mills, NY

“Giggle. Tee-hee. Josh Funk and Billy Yong have created a new treasure chock-full of wordsmith fun. Scrabblers, grab a pencil, puzzlers, get your puz-mug on, My Pet Feet is a feat of genius, from our pals Funk & Yong. No doubt, inspired by Letterman, a 1970s PBS educational show called The Electric Company, this book follows a child through the day as the world goes topsy-turvy, letter by letter. Very cool. I have missed this game. Illustrations are top notch. Lots of extra linguistic mysteries and visual treats to unravel. Bravo.” – Jilleen Moore, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

Your turn: Have you read this hilarious book yet?  It’s such a FUN read aloud! Feel free to share in the comments.

 

My Pet Feet Virtual Tour

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family fun
August 11, 2022
Mrs. G

Literary Road Trip: Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Authentically African

Disclaimer: Thank you to Kalahari Resorts and Conventions for providing me and my family with complimentary access to the resort. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

The word Kalahari is a Tswana word that can be defined as “a waterless place”.

A few days ago, our family had the pleasure of visiting Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in the Pocono Mountains.  Located at 250 Kalahari Blvd, Pocono Manor, PA, Kalahari Resorts is about a 3-hour drive from where we live in Connecticut.  It’s an easy and scenic drive straight up Interstate 84 West. As with all road trips, we made sure to bring plenty of books and other activities to keep the kids busy during the drive.

Upon arrival, the first thing we noticed was how beautiful and HUGE the place was.  Being greeted by a quote right in front of the resort that says, “There has never been, nor will ever be a more beautiful place on Earth than Africa” made me instantly fall in love with Kalahari before we even set foot inside.  I also loved seeing the outdoor kids’ playground, stunning African decor, and lots of statues inside and outside the property.

Pro Tip: Bring comfortable shoes – you’ll be doing a lot of walking since there is so much ground to cover.

The Resort
When you walk in you see the check-in/out area, gift shops, restaurants, and a sitting area in front of a large fireplace with views of the water park. You can access the arcade from the main area as well as the convention center and the different North and South room wings. When you check-in you receive wristbands that allow you access to your room, and if you connect a credit card to your account, your wristband can used to pay for things throughout the resort. When your stay is over, you are automatically checked out so there is no need to visit the front desk before leaving.

Inside, the entire resort is African themed. It felt like we entered the fictional world of Wakanda from the movie The Black Panther.  I enjoyed learning about the history and inspiration behind Kalahari Resorts and Conventions.  It’s inspiring to read about the resort owners’ efforts in fostering entrepreneurship and creating various partnerships throughout Africa.  You can read more about that here.  I was also impressed to see the wishing well in the front lobby.  The owners of the resort donate the coins tossed into the wishing well to provide clean water to communities in Africa.

Our Room
Our room was large enough to sleep a family of six.  We had two queen beds, a pull-out couch, a bathroom, and a small “kitchen” area which had a refrigerator, microwave, and a coffee pot.  We also had a balcony overlooking the outdoor pools and waterslides.

Pro Tip: Wear your swimsuit, bring your own towels, and a small beach bag if you plan to arrive early.  Upon arrival, our room wasn’t ready since we got there around 11:00am. However, after checking in at the front desk, we were able to go to the waterpark while waiting for our room to be ready.  This allowed us to get in some extra time at the waterpark and kept the kids from being antsy while waiting.  Once our room was ready, we received a text message letting us know our room was ready and our room number.  It was super convenient and easy!

The Waterpark
The main attraction at Kalahari is, of course, the humongous 220,000 square-foot water park (Water park admission is included in your stay). Kalahari is known for being home of America’s largest waterpark and it does NOT disappoint! Families can choose from thrilling waterslides to toddler pools, to private cabanas with personal jacuzzis and more!  Our kids loved the wave pool. the Lazy River, and the waterslides the most.  My husband and I enjoyed the hot tub, the wave pool, waterslides, and thrilling rides like the Screaming Hyena.  Even though there were a lot of people in the waterpark and in the resort, the lines for the waterslides moved quickly.  The most time we remember being in line was 10 minutes, which wasn’t bad.

Pro Tip: Towels and lifejackets are available for free inside the waterpark.  Remember to return all the towels you borrowed to avoid being charged a fee.

Activities
There are lots of other activities available if you want to take a break from the water park.  For creative children, there is the Adventurers Club where they can do art and crafts.  My daughter participated in Canvas & Ceramics Painting at the Adventurers Club and enjoyed it.  There is also an outdoor hiking trail, an arcade, indoor mini-golf, escape rooms, and mini bowling.  Families can also experience Gorilla Grove which offers outside mini-golf, zip-lines, and a ropes course. If you’re in the mood for exercise you can visit the Fitness Center.  In the mood for some relaxation? Visit Spa Kalahari and Salon and try one of their relaxing therapy services.

Food
Every place we ate the food was delicious! There are so many wonderful places to choose from.  We had the opportunity to eat at B-Lux, Great Karoo Marketplace, Sortino’s, Zulu Grill, and Cinco Niños.  Our favorite place to dine was Sortino’s.  Next time we visit we want to experience Double Cut Steak House.

Final Thoughts
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Would we go back? ABSOLUTELY! As always, we had a wonderful time making memories.

Any questions about Kalahari Resorts? Leave them in the comments! If you have stayed there before I would love to hear about your experience.

About Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Kalahari Resort & Conventions are full-service vacation destinations including meeting & convention facilities that combine America’s largest indoor Waterparks with the magic of Africa. Located in Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, Sandusky, Ohio, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, and Round Rock, Texas, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions’ innovative Waterparks, family entertainment centers, luxury spas, adventurous restaurants and convention centers deliver beyond expectations, all under one roof.

Closest Library to Kalahari Resorts and Conventions: Pocono Mountain Public Library
Pocono Mountain Public Library
5500 Municipal Drive
Tobyhanna, PA 18466
12-minute drive from the resort

Closest Bookstore to Kalahari Resorts and Conventions: Book Warehouse
Book Warehouse
1000 Premium Outlets Dr.
Space A-22 Tannersville, PA 18372
10 – 12-minute drive from the resort

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