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children's books
January 10, 2016
Mrs. G

100 Children’s Books to Read in 2016

Last year the kids and I read so many creative, fun, and amazing children’s books.  We read everything from classics, to fiction, to non-fiction, to poetry.

I love exploring new books, discovering old ones and keeping track of which books meant something to us.  Hence, that was the inspiration for me to create this blog post and share it with you.

So here’s our list of 100 books we loved reading in 2015 and think you should read this year. These are in no particular order, and while some were published in 2015, some were published earlier too.  The list contains picture books (including some wordless books), board books, alphabet books, and multicultural books.  I hope you enjoy this children’s book list—I know my kids and I did!

100 children's books to read in 2016

  1. Waiting by Kevin Henkes
  2. Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson
  3. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts
  4. Cloudette by Tom Lichenheld
  5. Bike On, Bear! by Cynthea Liu
  6. The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
  7. Rosie Goes to Preschool by Karen Katz
  8. Ol’ Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein
  9. Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins
  10. Little Red Gliding Hood by Tara Lazar
  11. The Snow Globe Family by Jane O’Connor
  12. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
  13. Christmas Cookies: Bite Size Holiday Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
  14. The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky
  15. B is for Breakdancing by Dr. Tamara Pizzoli
  16. The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing
  17. The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
  18. Poems for the Smart, Spunky and Sensational Black Girl by Rachel Garlinghouse
  19. Leo: A Ghost Story by Marc Barnett
  20. If All the Animals Came Inside by Eric Pinder
  21. No Sleep for the Sheep! by Karen Beaumont
  22. You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown
  23. Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won
  24. The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra
  25. Where’s My T-R-U-C-K? by Karen Beaumont
  26. Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven
  27. Emi’s Coily, Curly, Cotton Candy Hair by Tina Olajide
  28. Night Time Routine by Sharee Miller
  29. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena
  30. Wait by Antoinette Portis
  31. I Had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn
  32. What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss
  33. Water is Water by Miranda Paul
  34. Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine by Gloria Whelan
  35. A Bed for Bear by Clive McFarland
  36. Get Out of My Bath! by Nosy Crow
  37. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean
  38. The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt
  39. Tuck Me In! by Dean Hacohen
  40. The ABC Bunny by Wanda Gag
  41. Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa by Anna Dewdney
  42. Baking Day at Grandma’s by Anika Denise
  43. A B See by Elizabeth Doyle
  44. I Can Roar! by Frank Asch
  45. LOOK! by Edouard Manceau
  46. One by Kathryn Otoshi
  47. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
  48. The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak
  49. Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
  50. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett
  51. Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae
  52. The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman
  53. Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn
  54. Goodnight Already! by Jory John & Benji Davies
  55. Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley
  56. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
  57. Iggy Peck Architect by Andrea Beaty
  58. Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
  59. Prayer for a Child by Rachel Field
  60. I Am Invited to a Party! by Mo Willems
  61. Let’s Go for a Drive by Mo Willems
  62. Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems
  63. Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Anthony
  64. You Nest Here With Me by Jane Yolen
  65. Animal ABC by Susi Martin
  66. ABCs at the Store by Rebecca Rissman
  67. The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell
  68. Where Bear? by Sophy Henn
  69. Tails by Matthew Van Fleet
  70. Alpha Block by Christopher Franceschelli
  71. New York, New York: The Big Apple from A to Z by Laura Krauss Melmed
  72. Book-O-Beards by Donald Lemke and Bob Lentz
  73. The Spiffiest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson
  74. Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera
  75. Princess Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu by Ylleya Fields
  76. Alpha Oops!  The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis
  77. I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
  78. I Spy Pets by Edward Gibbs
  79. Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett
  80. Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood
  81. Alphabet Adventure by Audrey Wood
  82. A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
  83. The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield-Martin
  84. Float by Daniel Miyares
  85. I Had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn
  86. The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski
  87. The Night World by Mordicai Gerstein
  88. Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley
  89. Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder
  90. Before There Was Mozart: The Story of Joseph Boulogne by Lesa Cline-Ransome
  91. A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins
  92. Home by Carson Ellis
  93. Max the Brave by Ed Vere
  94. ABC: A Child’s First Alphabet Book by Alison Jay
  95. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
  96. This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
  97. Night Light by Nicholas Blechman
  98. Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
  99. The Only Child by Guojing
  100. Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook by John Hughes, illustrated by Kim Smith

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links.  All of the books listed are ones that my family or I have read personally and have enjoyed.

Your turn:  What other books would you add to the list?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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children's books
January 10, 2016
Mrs. G

Kids Read the World: A Kid World Citizen Initiative

A few days ago while browsing on Instagram, I found out about an awesome initiative that I just had to share!  By now you should know how passionate I am about reading and books, so naturally I would be intrigued by this amazing project that Becky Morales from Kid World Citizen has started.

Becky is an ESL teacher and mom to 5 kids.  Her husband is from Mexico, and she is from the US.  When they had their two daughters, Becky began looking for ways to incorporate Mexican culture into their family life. Soon, they adopted their son from China, and a couple of years later, another son from Ethiopia.  As their family grew, they expanded their celebrations, books, and music to include all of their heritage cultures.

Kid World Citizen
Becky decided to start a blog to help other adoptive families honor and learn about their children’s cultural backgrounds. Many of her readers were adoptive families, but she soon realized that many parents – of all backgrounds – were looking for ways to teach their kids about the world. Parents are interested in raising little global citizens who are aware of others inside and outside their communities. Becky wanted this for for their children too, so she expanded her blog to include the whole world. Hence the name, Kid World Citizen.Becky has been blogging for several years reading tons of books set around the world. Yet, when she read the jacket covers, most often the author was from the US. While the books were taking place around the world, they were not written by authors of the specific culture, who grew up in the particular country. Wanting to experience world cultures from the perspectives of their citizens, she began to look for children’s books that have been translated into English.

One day while Becky was playing on Facebook, serendipity struck: She clicked on a TED talk of a woman who had read an adult’s book from every country. It was the catalyst she needed to begin. She showed her kids Ann Morgan’s talk and they all agreed they would try to read a kid’s book from every country.

It’s not a simple task, and may prove to be unattainable: there are many countries that have few publishing houses (or none at all). If they have published children’s books, it is possible that none of have been translated.

Becky decided to start an editable google doc, where she could crowdsource ideas. She called out to her networks and asked friends, family, teachers, librarians, and organizations to suggest book titles.

The project “Kids Read the World” is just at the beginning stages. They are looking for recommendations of favorite, original children’s books (translated) from every country in the world. They are hoping to read classic books that are enjoyed by kids around the planet: picture books, traditional stories, folktales, picture books or easy chapter books.

Kids Read the World
The best part?  The live document is editable, and anyone can read it and add to it!  That’s right, Kid World Citizen is asking readers to look over the list, and add any book titles under the appropriate countries. When they finish with the list, they will also share that so that others can read their way around the world!  What a neat project, wouldn’t you agree?  I can’t wait to see the final list of books!

I hope you’ll join Becky and our friends over at Kid World Citizen in researching books titles and compiling the master list!

Your turn:  What translated books from around the world would you add to the list?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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children's books
January 10, 2016
Mrs. G

The Story Box: A Review Plus a Discount!

During my holiday gift guide series, I mentioned a new children’s book subscription box called The Story Box.  You can check out the original post here.

Owned by speech-language pathologist (Holly) and her husband (Clint), the Story Box is a subscription box that is intended to be an inexpensive way for parents to grow their children’s personal library of books.   When you subscribe to The Story Box, your family will receive a monthly box that is curated by a nationally certified speech-language pathologist.

thestorybox

Each box contains 2 children’s books and a guide for parents.  Use the books and guide to make the most of your family reading time, enhance your child’s language skills, and improve your child’s chances of becoming a successful reader.  The books in their boxes are most appropriate for children between the ages of 1 and 7-years old which includes: babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary students Kindergarten-2nd graders.

I LOVE the fact that a portion of each subscription fee is used to purchase books and other educational materials to benefit children with disabilities and children from low-income families.  What a nice touch!

The books were shipped in a flat brown box with a large bright green Story Box logo on it.  When I opened the box, the kids immediately started flipping through the books.

Here are the two books we received:  It’s Monday, Mrs. Jolly Bones! and Kiss the Cow.

thestoryboxbooks

There are several things I like about this subscription box:

  • the well thought out and organized parent guide which includes: tips & inspiration, vocabulary tips, language concepts, example hands-on activities you can do with your children that are related to the books you just read (this is by far my favorite thing about this box!!)
  • the variety in reading difficulty, rich illustrations, messages, and styles of the books
  • the relatively simple story lines, basic language, and cute characters also make these accessible books for early readers to explore independently
  • it would make a great gift because you could add a birthday card and you’re all set to go to a kid’s birthday party!

Overall, I was very impressed with this subscription service.  I think there is a lot of thought that goes into their book selections.  In addition, the great value, plus the nice presentation and personalization makes this a fantastic subscription for little ones!

The Subscription: The Story Box
The Cost:

  • Month-to-Month Plan: $21.99 per month
  • 3 Month Prepay: $20.99 per month
  • 6 Month Prepay: $19.99 per month
  • Shipping is always FREE for all plans!

The Discount: Here Wee Read readers get $10.00 off, good through January 19, 2016.  Just use coupon code HEREWEEREAD at checkout!

Disclosure: I received this complimentary box for review purposes. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate and/or referral links.

Your turn:  Have you tried this fantastic subscription service for your little ones yet?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews
January 7, 2016
Mrs. G

Rock-A-Bye Romp: A Book Review

Rock-A-Bye Romp
by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Simona Mulzzzani

rockabyeromp

Prolific author and illustrator duo Linda Ashman and Simona Mulazzani expand on a beloved nursery rhyme in Rock-a-Bye Romp; on sale January 19, 2016; Recommended for children ages 1 – 3
Publisher: Penguin Random House

Synopsis
Turning a beloved lullaby on its head, this wonderful read-aloud pairs playful text and enchanting paintings to create a rollicking escapade with a clever premise and a cozy conclusion.
 
“Rock-a-bye, Baby, in the treetop. How did you ever get so high up?”
That’s a good question—and this delightful book weaves a gentle fantasy around the baby who finds himself in that very predicament! A marvelous adventure ensues, taking Baby from the tree branches to a farm full of animals to a ride down the river, and finally on a flight through the night sky into the safety of Mama’s arms.

Reflection
When I was contacted to write a review for this book I was thrilled!  We are huge fans of Linda Ashman’s book entitled Rain so I was excited to read her latest book with the kids.  The story starts off just like the original “Rock-a-Bye Baby” lullaby, with the baby in a cradle in a treetop, but then baby disappears!  Where’d baby go?  Well, that’s part of the adventure little readers will get to go on in this cute bedtime story.  Watch as baby turns up in some unexpected places before making his way back safely into his mother’s arms.

We all liked the rhythmic text in this adorable book including the darling illustrations to match.  I kept asking the kids where they thought baby would end up next which seemed to add a bit of suspense.  Also, since there are several animals in this book (a pig, a horse, a duck, a sheep, and an owl) it’s a great way to practice and reinforce the sounds that the animals make with the little ones.

We’ve had this book on rotation during story time since we received it just a few weeks ago.  Overall, a great treat to read, especially at bedtime.  The story line is short and in a very simple rhyme, setting the ideal audience target to a younger crowd of around one to three years old.

You can pre-order the book here before it’s released on January 19th!

About the Author
lindaashman
Linda Ashman has written more than thirty children’s picture books.  Many of her works have garnered awards including the New York Times Notable Children’s Book, IRA/CBC Children’s Choices Selection, Bank Street Best Book, and others.  As a children’s poet, she’s often been compared to Ogden Nash, Mary Ann Hoberman, Douglas Florian, and Jack Prelutsky.  Linda was born in New York and grew up in New Jersey, and has worked as a real estate market analyst and in urban planning.  She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with her husband, son, and two dogs.  Visit Linda’s website here.

About the Illustrator
Simona Mulazzani is an internationally celebrated children’s book illustrator.  She has illustrated over seventy books for both children and adults for international publishers.  She received a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators in 2013.  She was born in Milan, Italy, and now lives in Pesaro, Italy.  Visit Simona’s website here.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Your turn: Did you enjoy this review?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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children's literacy
January 6, 2016
Mrs. G

International Book Giving Day 2016: How I’m Helping

Save the date for International Book Giving Day 2016!

Oh, I just LOVE literary related initiatives and events, don’t you?  Ok, I know not everyone gets excited about stuff like this, but I certainly do (don’t judge me…ha ha!)

International Book Giving Day #bookgivingday takes place on 14th February each year.  Yes, the same day as Valentine’s Day.  The aim of the day is to get books into the hands of as many children as possible thereby increasing children’s access to and enthusiasm for books.  Although the holiday originated in the UK, book lovers around the world now join in the celebrations every year.

ibgd2016poster

International Book Giving Day is a 100% volunteer initiative born out of the knowledge that:

  • Most children in developing countries do not own books.
  • In the United Kingdom, one-third of children do not own books.
  • In the United States, two-thirds of children living in poverty do not own books.

International Book Giving Day’s focus is on encouraging people worldwide to give a book to a child on February 14th.

Why not use the day to spread love in a different kind of way to:

1) gift a book to a friend or family member,
2) leave a book in a waiting room at a pediatrician’s office or children’s hospital for children to read, or
3) donate a gently used book to a local library, or shelter or to an organization that distributes used books to children in need internationally or locally.
4) Host a book giveaway on your blog – that’s something I plan to do…stay tuned!  This is a great idea for all you authors out there.

One of my personal goals this year is to start giving back and volunteering my time again (gradually).  Prior to having children I used to volunteer for several different organizations, but I had to scale back and start being more “stingy” about my time in order to take care of the kids as they were my #1 priority.  Now that the kids are a little older and growing more independent each day, I now feel like I’m ready to start volunteering again even if it’s just in small ways to start.

Therefore, I’ve decided my first way of giving back this year will be to donate books on International Book Giving Day.  I contacted the local Reach Out and Read organization in my area and told them I’m interested in donating books.  If they agree to accept the books (which I don’t see why they wouldn’t), I plan to make a book donation to their organization.  In addition to donating some of my own books, I plan to reach out to several friends and family members to see if they have any books they may want to get off their hands.

Depending on how many books I receive, I also want to make a donation to my local library, hubby’s barber shop, and leave some books in the waiting room at the kids’ pediatrician office.  In each of the books I also plan to insert one of the cute International Book Giving Day bookmarks which can be found here.

So instead of giving the kids chocolates this Valentine’s day why not give a book instead?  Perhaps you agree, but I think chocolate and toys are all very fine and dandy but books, well books are just awesome and last much longer than a box of chocolates ever will.  I’m just saying.

To learn more about International Book giving Day visit their website here.

Your turn: What are your plans for International Book Giving Day?  How will you give back?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews
January 4, 2016
Mrs. G

This Is My Year Journal: A Review and How to Use It

Happy New Year, Everyone!

I’m so excited 2016 is finally here!  I’m ready to embrace everything this new year has to offer…it’s going to be an AMAZING 366 days!  Anyone else claiming this for themselves?

I decided to purchase a gift for myself this past Christmas and I’m so happy I did!  My gift of choice?  Myleik Teele’s “This Is My Year Journal”.  I plan to use it to keep myself organized throughout the entire year.  I know you may be thinking, “How can a journal help keep you organized, shouldn’t you be using a planner?”  I’ll explain how to use the journal shortly, but first let me tell you the one thing I’ve learned about keeping a journal, then I’ll tell you who Myleik is.

This Is My Year Journal- A Review and How to Use It

Journaling: The one thing I’ve learned and Why I Do It
I’ve learned that when I record my thoughts, feelings, ideas, and actions from the past in a journal, I put yourself in a position to forge a better plan for my future.   To me, keeping a journal can help me stop guessing…and start going and doing.

Who Is Myleik?
Myleik Teele is the creator of CurlBox, one of the top-selling beauty subscription boxes for natural haired curly girls. Over the years, she’s acquired a huge social media following, not only due to the success of CurlBox, but also her tough-love advice she’s been giving to women, like myself, through her podcast over the years.  I love Myleik’s “tell it like it is” attitude.  She uses just the right words and tone of voice without sounding too “preachy” or “bossy”.  She discusses everything from how get out of a slump to offering practical (and realistic relationship advice) to sharing how she started earning over six figures working for herself over the last few years.

Reflection
The journal was in my mailbox when we came back home from our first-ever family vacation to Florida.  I was so excited to crack open the journal to see what was inside!

The first 11 pages include notes and advice from Myleik including: her plans for 2016, how to take an assessment of the prior year, how to move past being average, discovering which “season” of life you’re in right now, making self-care a priority,  8 tips to make sure this is your year, how not to fall, how to use her old journals in the new year, and finally a personal handwritten note from Myleik.  The remaining pages are blank lined pages with space for you to write.

I started using my journal on the morning of New Year’s Eve and have been using it ever since.  However, figuring out exactly how to use this journal required me to do a bit of research on my own.

I heard Myleik say in previous podcasts that her journaling method was outlined in her first journal, but I don’t own her first journal.  She also mentioned you could listen to one of her previous podcasts to learn her journaling method.  Well, I had no idea which podcast it was even after scrolling through all of them in iTunes.  So what’s a girl to do?  I simply asked someone.  Ask and ye shall receive, right?  Yep, I found someone online via Instagram who I knew purchased her first journal and simply asked them to send me a screenshot of the journaling method.  I have no idea who the person was, but she gladly sent the screenshot my way so now I’m able to share Myleik’s journaling method with you.  Ready?

How to Use This Journal

Left side of the journal – Use for journaling
Right side of the journal – Use to create lists

Tips for Journaling
Write: Use the left side of the page to journal thoughts, write down numbers, save Instagram names, websites, apps, books titles, random thoughts, ideas, quotes and whatever else you come across that day.

Tips for Creating Lists
Date: This seems like a no-brainer, but you always want to be sure that you enter the date, month, and year.

Prioritize: Start with the highest priority for the day as #1 and work your way down.

Highlight by Importance: Once you start working on the list you’ll do one of two things: If it’s a task that needs more steps to actually be completed, you highlight it YELLOW.  Myleik likes this color because it’s the brightest and it allows you to see the task clearly.

Make Notes on Next Steps: If you have highlighted the task with yellow, you can also make notes beneath it in another color pen (Myleik uses red or pink) with the notes on the “next step” you’ll need to do. For example, “Left a message with the assistant, check back tomorrow.”

Orange Means You’re Done: If you complete the task, highlight it with orange. Orange means you’re 100% done with it.

Carry Tasks Over to the Next Day: Once the day is over you can set yourself up for the next day by carrying over all of your YELLOW tasks on the new page in order of priority.

This method will keep you organized with your priorities on the top of your list each day.

Example Notes
1. Call with Jackie at 2:00pm today
2. Speaking engagement – Send my biography to the event organizer
3. Plan my birthday trip – Hawaii? California Coast? Dubai?
4. Go grocery shopping
5. Write and mail thank you cards
6. Read for 60 minutes today
7. Call mom at 6pm today to discuss family vacation
8. Schedule doctor appointments for the kids
9. Meeting with accountability partner Friday at 7pm
10. Hair appointment Saturday at 10am

If you own this journal and don’t know how to use it, I hope you’ve found this post to be helpful.  Happy Journaling!

To learn more about Myleik or purchase one of her journals visit her website.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.  I purchased this journal with my own money.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Your turn: Do you journal?  What are your best tips for staying organized?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews
January 3, 2016
Mrs. G

Love Thy Fro by Casey Elisha: A Book Review

Love Thy Fro
Written by Casey Elisha, illustrated by Aliecee Cummings

lovethyfro
Synopsis
Aimed at girls ages 5-8, Love Thy Fro is about a young girl named Kemi who absolutely loves her big, beautiful, curly afro hair!  It’s a simple book with a simple message, the aim is to teach girls the importance of loving themselves and embracing their “non-typical” hair from a young age.

Background
Love Thy Fro debuted for the first time in South East London on December 6, 2015.  The very next day the book was completely SOLD OUT.  Casey was inspired to write the book based on conversations she had with several people and her own personal reflections on her past issues related to self-love and her hair.

“My decision to write Love Thy Fro was a very random one stemming from my realization that, if I were to become a mother to a daughter anytime soon, I would have a really hard time teaching her to be comfortable in her own skin due to the images of beauty that society constantly throws at us. I wanted my future daughters to know and appreciate their unique beauty, so I chose to create something that I felt would help show them this.” ~Casey Elisha

Reflection
 I want my daughter to embrace the hair that naturally grows out of her head and to believe, with confidence, that there is nothing wrong with her hair despite what others may say.  Luckily, my daughter absolutely LOVES her hair at the moment.  I hope it stays that way for years to come.

I like to think I’m the main reason why my daughter feels so good about her hair.  How narcissistic of me, right?  Seriously though, I do take good care of my hair and I’ve been wearing it in its natural state for the past six years now.  Perhaps by seeing me take care of my hair it in turn made my daughter feel good about hers.  In addition, I am constantly telling her how beautiful her hair is hoping it will sink into her head.  I think its safe to say it has, at least for now.

I also read beautiful natural hair books like Love Thy Fro to my daughter frequently.  As I’ve stated on this blog before, it’s important for me to let my children see characters who look like them in books.  That’s especially true when it comes to teaching my daughter about hair.  She simply won’t see characters with her hair type featured in princess books.  That’s why I’m so glad authors like Casey Elisha and others are on the forefront writing positive and inspirational books for young girls with afro-textured hair.

The first day when the book arrived in the mail I opened it and read through it quickly on my own.  Later that night I read with my daughter and we both enjoyed it immensely.  I definitely think the book resonated with my daughter because Sundays are the same day I wash and style her hair for the week just like little Kemi in the book.

Throughout the book, Kemi explains the process her mum (mom) follows to shampoo, condition, moisturize and style her hair.  We love the rhyming text as well as the gorgeous illustrations that really help bring the book to life.  I especially loved that Kemi’s mom let her decide what style she wanted to wear in her hair.  How empowering for little Kemi to tell her mom exactly how she wanted to wear her hair -in an afro!

There is also an activity section in the back of the book for girls to: draw a picture of their fro and write a few sentences describing reasons why they love their fro.  It’s also worth mentioning that since Casey is a British author located in London, there are some words that are spelled differently than from what we use in the United States like: mummy (mommy), moistrises (moisturizes), colour (color), favourite (favorite) and canerows (cornrows).  This was not annoying at all to me though – just wanted to make you aware of it.

Kudos to Casey Elisha on recognizing the need for positive, self-esteem books like this one and for representing for curly girls everywhere.  With the help of books like Love Thy Fro, I will continue to show my daughter curly images to help reinforce her natural beauty.

lovethyfro2
Connect with Casey Elisha on Instagram or her website!

For all inquiries, please contact Casey Elisha directly at: CElishaBooks@gmail.com

Order a copy of the book here.

Your turn: Have you read this book yet?  How do you teach your daughter(s) or the little girls in your life to love their afro-textured hair?  Feel free to share in the comments.

Giveaway: Win an Autographed Copy of Love Thy Fro!
I’m thrilled to be hosting my first giveaway of 2016!  To enter to win this book simply follow the instructions listed in the Rafflecopter giveaway below.  Contest ends Thursday, January 14th at 11:59pm.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Reviews
January 3, 2016
Mrs. G

My First Book Series: A Book Review

Back in November 2015, I introduced you to author Sophie Helenek when I featured her as the literacy expert for the month.  In addition to being an award-winning author, Sophie is an elite athlete, former banker, Everest summiteer, runway model, and mother.  Also, her daughter happens to go to the same preschool as my son – how cool is that?

Sophie recently wrote an entire series of children’s board books called My First Book.  There are several books in the series including: My First Book Sky Wonders, My First Book Fruits, My First Book Musical Instruments, My First Book Shapes, My First Book Christmas (Kindle edition) and My First Book Pets (Kindle edition).

myfirstbookmusicalinstruments

Summary
Each book in the My First Book series is designed to stimulate and captivate baby from birth to toddlerhood, while fueling inspiration and knowledge of your bundle of joy surroundings.

These board books have received top accolades honoring excellence in family-friendly products, and prestigious awards for its innovation, attention to quality, and educational properties which seals only the very best in reading excellence.

Background
At birth, babies are very nearsighted; that is why they are interested in bold black and white shapes and high contrast patterns. Eager to learn more, Sophie read a bunch of studies on speech development, child temperament, and babies’ milestones. Gathering all this information, she developed and designed My First Books series from a baby’s perspective.  She wanted to write an engaging book that promotes bonding and supports an infant’s developmental growth milestones: vision, memory, speech, and social skills.

They are not just picture books or bedtime stories, but rather activity books conceived to stimulate a baby’s senses.

Here how it works:

  • At first, a baby will enjoy simple illustrations with black-and-white and high-contrast patterns designed especially for the very young to focus on.
  • As babies gets older, their brains learn to distinguish bright primary colors and will start identifying the illustrations with the words you read, which triggers their memory process.
  • Each picture is accompanied by a simple word that babies will love repeating and which helps their speech development.
  • The last pages show all the illustrations together, which also helps the baby’s memory process.
  • My First Book series offers a special feature for toddlers, as they can write on the book with a white board pen, wipe it, and write again!

Reflection
The first thing that surprised me about these books is the way both of my kids gravitated towards them.  The first night we read them the kids eagerly wanted to read them again and again…no exaggeration.  Perhaps they are attracted to the bright and bold colors of the illustrations or the simplicity of books, I’m not sure.  Whatever it is, they like them and so do I.

My children are slowly outgrowing board books as they’re getting older, but I think these books are perfect for babies and toddlers alike.  Of course for the youngest readers, you won’t have to worry about these books being slobbered upon, crinkled up, ripped, or worse. These board books provide a sturdy option for the smallest of the small while still offering the opportunity to expose your child to good books.

My three-year old daughter can read all of the words and name the objects in each book without any assistance from me.  My son can name the colors, identify the shapes, name the fruits and instruments, but he’s not at the reading stage yet.

I also enjoy using these books for both letter recognition and counting with the kids too.  In addition, I like to incorporate theme-related songs like “Apples and Bananas” (when we’re reading the My First Book Fruits book) and activities to expand on the topic of each book.  As an added bonus, toddlers and preschoolers can even use a dry erase marker on these books and then wipe them clean when they’re ready to practice handwriting.

If you have an infant or know someone who will be giving birth to a baby in the coming months, I’d highly recommend this children’s book series to help with those important developmental growth milestones.

To learn more about author Sophie Helenek connect with her on social media:
Website: www.nurserybooks.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nurserybooks
Twitter:  @nurserybooks

Your turn: Have you read any of the books in this series with your little readers?  Do you still read board books with your children?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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Uncategorized
December 31, 2015
Mrs. G

What Is Your Word for 2016?

I cannot believe today is the last day of 2015!  Where did the year go, seriously?  This morning I spent some time writing down my goals and dreams for the new year ahead in my new journal.  I also chose two words to help me focus and realize my goals.  I chose two words because it was really hard for me to narrow it down to just one.

whatisyourword

If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed I posted my favorite adult book of 2015 a few days ago.  I chose The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.  In this book, the author suggests you should only be surrounded by things that spark joy in your heart.  Therefore, the first word I’ve chosen for 2016 is joy.

I want to create more joy daily in all areas of my life.  I’m only going to focus on each day one day at a time and those things that bring me joy right that very moment. Because I don’t know how my life will be a day from now, 30 days from now or even 5 or 10 years into the future.

But I do know that waking up an hour earlier helps me prepare better for the day ahead. I do know that when I force myself to exercise before work I’m more productive.  I do know how I love seeing the look on my kids’ faces when they learn something new or accomplish something on their own.  I do know how much I love having clean and organized spaces.  I do know that I love to eat delicious food.  I do know that I love technology (most of the time), writing code, and solving problems.  I do know that when I put my phone away at home I’m more focused, less distracted, more present to enjoy my husband, our home, and the kids.  I do know that reading, writing, and blogging bring me joy.  I do know how beautiful I feel when I let my skin breathe, free from the make-up, free from the grime. I do know that I love discovering and learning new things.  I do know that smiling at strangers and giving to others has never made me feel worse, only better.

I do know most of the things that bring me joy, but I’m sure there are others have have yet to be discovered.  So I’m hoping those things will be revealed to me next year.  Also, for 2016, I’m letting go of wondering when the joy of “success” will make it’s way to me or when it’ll be “my turn” to have or do certain things.  Because there’s no joy in wondering.  There’s no joy in trying to figure out the who, the when, the why and the how.

Really, the only joy is in the now. And that’s where I choose to be.

I understand and acknowledge I’ve already had much success in many areas of my life, but I have other hopes and dreams that have yet to be realized.  I have faith they will come to pass, but I’m simply letting go and allowing them to happen in their due season (still keeping them on my list of dreams and goals though).

The other word I chose is reach.

Next year I want to reach above what I know I’m capable of, beyond even what I think I might be capable of and create some AMAZING things.  I also want to reach out to others more – build networks, create genuine, meaningful and lasting relationships both online and in-person.  I want to reach more people via my blog and social media.  I want to reach for my goals and actually achieve them – not just set them on January 1st and forget about them.  I want to reach above and beyond at work and not just be average or mediocre.  Simply put, I want to reach and stretch myself in all areas of my life knowing what my limitations are so I won’t get burned out.

Cheers to an epic 2016!  Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year.  See you in 2016!

Your turn:  What is your word(s) for the new year?  What are you most looking forward to?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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Books for Adults
December 31, 2015
Mrs. G

What I’m Reading (in January 2016)

Like many of you, I see the new year as an exciting opportunity to set some epic goals for the year ahead. This year is no different and one I’m very excited by is my goal to read for at least 30 minutes every day in 2016.  This 30 minutes won’t include reading children’s books with the kids either.  I’m talking about reading books just for me whether they be physical books, e-books, or audio books.

Here are my picks for January 2016:

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
yearofyes

I LOVE anything that Shonda Rhimes is involved with (especially Scandal) so I’m sure I’m going to enjoy reading this gem.  I’ve heard nothing but great things about this one!

Synopsis:  This poignant, intimate, and hilarious memoir explores Shonda’s life before her Year of Yes—from her nerdy, book-loving childhood creating imaginary friends to her devotion to creating television characters who reflected the world she saw around her.  And it chronicles her life after her Year of Yes had begun—when Shonda forced herself out of the house and onto the stage, appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and giving the Dartmouth Commencement speech; when she learned to say yes to her health, yes to play and she stepped out of the shadows and into the sun; when she learned to explore, empower, applaud, and love her truest self. Yes.

This wildly candid and compulsively readable book reveals how the mega talented Shonda Rhimes, an unexpected introvert, achieved badassery worthy of a Shondaland character. And how you can, too.

Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life by Michael Strahan

wakeuphappy

I never watched Michael Strahan play football for the New York Giants, but ever since he started hosting the morning show with Kelly Ripa I started following and discovered I adore him.  He’s appears to be such an optimistic, down-to-earth, easy-going guy.  Therefore, I’m interested to read this and learn more about him and his views on life and dreaming big.

Synopsis:  In Wake Up Happy, Michael shares personal stories about how he gets and stays motivated and how readers can do the same in their quest to attain their life goals.  Inspiring and chock full of advice that will help the reader make significant strides toward pursuing his or her dream, Wake Up Happy is a book no one, young or old, male or female will want to miss.

Best Friends Forever by Kimberla Lawson Roby
bestfriendsforever

If possible, I like to have at least one fiction book in the mix of books I’m reading during any given month.  I enjoyed reading some of Kimberla Lawson Roby’s books in the past so I’m excited to read her latest book.  Sounds like a good one!

Synopsis:  Things are falling apart in the Richardson household. Angry arguments between Celine and her husband, Keith, have become routine. She resents that he’s working long hours and staying out all night, and he accuses her of not giving him the attention he deserves. Their marriage is at a cross-roads and Celine worries how her 10-year-old daughter, Kassie, will be affected.

But the situation turns devastating when Celine is diagnosed with breast cancer. As her relationship with Keith deteriorates, Celine worries that she’ll be left to navigate the difficult process of cancer treatment alone. But comfort and support come in the form of Celine’s best friend, Lauren. They’ve been attached at the hip since they were children and it is Lauren who’s there for Celine in her darkest moments.

Now, Celine will be forced to make tough decisions-about her marriage and otherwise-and for the first time in her life, she wants to give up. Lauren vows to help by any means necessary and makes the kind of sacrifice only a best friend can. But will it be too late?

Your turn:  What are your reading goals for the new year?  What books do you think I should read in 2016?  If you have any suggestions please feel free to share in the comments.

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children's books
December 10, 2015
Mrs. G

Holiday Gift Guide Series: Coloring Books and Flash Cards for African-American Kids!

If you follow my blog, you may have noticed I feature a variety of children’s and adult books on my blog.  I do not believe in discrimination or segregation of any kind, especially when it comes to books.  And although I read a variety of different books with my kids, I get really excited whenever I come across books or different items that feature multicultural or African-American children.  Why?  Because growing up as a kid there weren’t many dolls, coloring books, cartoon characters, or flash cards for multicultural children.  Thankfully, today there are more options available for parents and children to choose from.  Check out these fantastic stocking stuffers listed below!

Coloring and Activity Books
The kids and I LOVE this series of coloring and activity books by Crystal Swain-Bates!  She’s the author of the popular children’s book Big Hair, Don’t Care.  Crystal founded a black-owned publishing company called Goldest Karat Publishing.  Their mission is to fill a critical niche in African-American literature by providing books that fill the untapped needs of young African-American boys and girls in stories they will want to read again and again.

africanamericancoloringbooksforkids

Not only can kids color in the pages, but they can also do fun activities like filling in the missing vowels to discover hidden sentences, draw pictures, and write their own stories.  My kids are still a bit young to do most of the activities, but we’re holing on to these beauties until they are a bit older.  I’d say these are perfect for children ages 5 – 9.  However, if you like coloring books like I do even adults would enjoy these.  A real treat!

Interesting in ordering these coloring books for your little readers, church group or school?
The Colorful Adventures of Cody & Jay
The Colorful Adventures of Zoe & Star
Color My Fro
Black Fairy Tales

ABC Me Flashcards
abcmeflashcards
I came across these amazing ABC Me Flash Cards on Instagram.  Have you seen these yet?

Designed to be used in a myriad of ways, ABC Me Flashcards are illustrated in vibrant colors with easy to understand wording on the back. They begin with the alphabet but A isn’t for apple. This time, A is for Africa. And so from A to Z or from Africa to Zora Neal Hurston, younger children can learn their ABC’s and older children can use the same cards to learn about their history.

abcmeflashcards

Mom and teacher Leilani Brooks came up with the idea to create these flashcards.  While looking for ways to teach her children about their history and culture, she discovered that there weren’t enough resources for teaching African-American history to young children. After purchasing a set of flashcards depicting American Presidents and seeing our 44th President, Barack Obama represented, Leilani was inspired. She called long time friend, educator and historian, Stevi Meredith. Brooks told Meredith she had an idea to make flashcards about African American accomplishments and culture. After some brainstorming, the two came up with what is now ABC Me Flashcards: The African American Edition.

I hope you enjoyed these two stocking stuffer ideas!  The beauty of stocking stuffers is that they don’t have to be off someone’s list and they can range in price from $1 to $100 or more. More importantly, they can be fun, quirky, sweet, one-of-a-kind, and just from you.

Happy shopping and happy stuffing!

For more information about Crystal Swain-Bates click here to visit her website.  You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Interested in purchasing ABC Me Flashcards?  Click here to visit their website.  You can also follow ABC Me Flashcards on Instagram and Facebook.

Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Your turn:  Did you enjoy this post?  What are you planning to put in your little ones stockings this year?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews
December 8, 2015
Mrs. G

Sandy Hook Elementary School Anniversary: Two Children’s Books to Read

December 14th will mark the three-year anniversary of the horrific mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  I’ve lived in Connecticut all my life so that particular shooting hit especially close to home for me.

Talking to your children about tragedies is a daunting task, but I think it’s necessary especially as they get older.  When I think about all of the tragedies I’ve lived through prior to becoming a mom: Columbine, 9/11, Virginia Tech, University of Arizona, and countless others I can’t help but think how different I feel now that I have children.  What am I supposed to tell my kids?  Has this become the “new normal”?  I certainly hope not.  Luckily, my kids are still young so they don’t really understand.

If you’re looking for books to read with your children in recognition of the Sandy Hook anniversary, may I suggest two books that bring messages of hope and renewal to children and families affected by the tragedy.

Good Dogs, Great Listeners: The Story of Charlotte, Lily and the Litter
by Renata Bowers with JoAnn and Joel Bacon
gooddogsgreatlisteners

Book Synopsis
Charlotte loves dogs, especially her loving and loyal dog, Lily. And she loves adventure, especially with Lily and her Litter of six stuffed dogs in tow.  But, she doesn’t love to read.

Charlotte has a pesky habit of abandoning a book in favor of a distraction. Paired with her dogs and her bold imagination, that distraction has a way of turning into a grand adventure. But when Lily gets hurt on one of their adventures, Charlotte relies on her imagination and her heart to find a way to love Lily back to health…and discovers a love for reading along the way – along with her beloved companions.

Book Background
This is a charming story from Joel and JoAnn Bacon, parents to 6 year-old Charlotte Bacon who was one of the children who lost their lives on December 14, 2012 in Sandy Hook, CT.  The family decided to focus on the things their daughter loved most, which was dogs.

Good Dogs, Great Listeners is a story of imagination, kindness and boldness, created to inspire the story – and the reader – in us all.  The book tells the story of Charlotte and how Charlotte’s Litter was started.

Charlotte’s Litter was founded following the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy.  The organization supports therapy dog programs in educational and societal settings by connecting resources and experienced people, while providing input and guidance to parents and educators.  The Bacon family has founded and developed a number of projects to honor their spirited Charlotte, share her joy and beauty, and advocate for what has helped them most as they grieve.

Reflection
The kids and I truly enjoyed reading this book.  It’s such a wonderful story with precious illustrations to match.  Even though little Charlotte doesn’t like to read in the beginning she certainly has a vivid imagination and great sense of adventure.  In an effort to avoid reading books, Charlotte uses her imagination to go on elaborate adventures with her dogs.  Lily and the Litter faithfully follow Charlotte with each new “adventure” they go on until one day when Lily breaks her leg.  That’s when Charlotte’s love of reading begins as way to keep Lily company while she rested so her leg could heal.

I think this is a great book to read with children who may be reluctant to read.  I’d also recommend this for little readers who may want to become a veterinarian or those who love dogs.

The Dogs of Newtown
by Guy A. Bacon
thedogsofnewtown

Charlotte’s brother Guy Bacon also has his own book, “The Dogs Of Newtown” which describes the therapy dogs that greeted him when he went back to school.  Guy is an 11 year-old boy who is a student at Reed Intermediate School in Newtown, CT.  He dedicated this book to his sister, Charlotte Bacon who was one of the 20 children who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Book Synopsis
The sadness in Newtown got a little bit better because of the therapy dogs that came to visit from around America. The Dogs of Newtown is packed full of beautiful photography is the product of long, snuggle-filled interview sessions, and the mutual love that was, and still is, shared by Guy and the dogs of Newtown.  A student at Reed Intermediate School in Newtown, Connecticut, Guy shares the story of some of the most special therapy dogs that visited him and his friends at school and helped lick the tears away.

Book Background
Following the tragedy, therapy dogs were brought to school to help comfort the grieving children, one being Charlotte’s older brother, Guy. The dogs sat patiently as students read to them, petted them, and spoke to them, and provided a much-needed calming presence for both children and teachers. Once the Bacons witnessed the wonderful influence of the dogs, they knew Charlotte had something to do with it, as she had loved animals fiercely – especially dogs.  The Bacon family hopes to promote the use of therapy dogs to aid in both children’s literacy as well as emotional support.

Reflection
I enjoyed reading about each one of the therapy dogs featured in this book, but the kids loved looking at the pictures the most.  We’re just a dog loving family.  The Dogs of Newtown is a true story about each of the heroic therapy dogs who helped students to feel safe coming back to school.  The dogs and their owners spent every day for the rest of the school year in service to the staff and students of the school.  How awesome is that!

I never realized the wonderful effects therapy dogs could have on people prior to reading the foreward message written in this book.  It’s so beautifully written that it actually made me tear up a bit.  The rest of the book includes photographs of the therapy dogs as well as a brief description about each one.

Overall, I think both of these books can help spark a conversation with your children about the Sandy Hook Elementary anniversary whether they are still in diapers or elementary school.

Please continue to hold our friends and neighbors here in Connecticut close to your heart, especially as we enter the holiday season.

For more information about both of these books, visit gooddogsgreatlisteners.com and charlotteslitter.org, and connect with Charlotte’s Litter and Good Dogs, Great Listeners on Facebook.

Good Dogs, Great Listeners and The Dogs of Newtown can also be purchased on Amazon.

Your turn: Did you enjoy this post?  How do you talk to your children about tragic events that occur?  What are some of your go-to children’s books to read?  Feel free to share in the comments.

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