The budget cuts are biting hard! School districts are being forced to fire teachers and increase class sizes. We parents are being asked to pitch in more. My son had a box of facial tissue on his back-to-school list! I remember a time when all you had to do was show up for school. You got the text books, the pencils, and the construction paper free. Times have changed. Read the rest of this entry »
Kathryn Starke is an elementary school literacy specialist and knows a thing or two about motivating kids to read. She is also an author of a children’s book called Amy Travels and shared some thoughts about reading previously on this blog; Why Read.
Kathryn shares her insights on picture books for kids and the book publishing industry.
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Eric Carle is perhaps best known to the world as the writer and illustrator of one of the most beloved children’s books of all time; The Very Hungry Caterpillar. For generations children and parents alike have loved and read the works of this great Renaissance man. Few writers can bridge the generational gap; even fewer can do that while working as both writer and illustrator. But Eric Carle has never let the uncommon slow him down. Read the rest of this entry »
Don and Audrey Wood are a husband and wife children’s book writing and illustrating team. The dynamic duo are well known for great masterpieces such as Quick as a Cricket; The Napping House; The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear. Their books are full of wonder, magic, nature, and spectacular imagery and once you understand their magical and amazing childhoods you will understand how their lives have heavily influenced their works. Read the rest of this entry »
Taking trips with kids in tow is not cheap neither is it convenient but I say it is necessary to create those lifelong memories and to deepen your bond with your kids. 10 Places Every Kid Should See is a place to start. Nine of the ten sites are landmarks within theUnited States,Europe being the tenth.
Beyond North America and Europe, there are five other continents to see;Australia, South America, Africa, Asia andAntarctica. All the continents start with the letter “A”, was that by design? I wonder.
I get requests all the time asking for the best baby books. Those requests often come from new moms who are conscientious and want to do everything right. New grandparents also make those requests. It’s been some time since they had to pick out books for little kids. Those kids are now parents and grandparents cannot help themselves with wanting only the best for their adorable new grandkids.
In Bring a Book Baby Shower, I spoke of a new, well maybe not-so-new trend of requests for children’s books as baby shower gifts. People clearly see the value of exposing little ones to wholesome books. Read the rest of this entry »
As a parent, one of the most important lessons you can teach your children is a love for reading. Neurological tests have revealed that a healthy baby is born with approximately 200 billion active brain cells, which each live longer when they are stimulated through practices like reading and talking to your child. Research has shown that teaching a child to read has a strong influence over the function and development of the child’s brain. Starting as early as possible ensures that you will pass onto your child a lifelong appreciation for learning. Read the rest of this entry »
“In the great green room,” begins one of the most memorable books ever written for children. During a time when children’s books centered upon the unrealistic fairy tales that were meant to distract and teach a lesson, Margaret Wise Brown sought to create stories about things important to children, things they could relate to.
Margaret was one of the first writers to go out into the world and ask the readers of children’s literature, children, what they wanted to read about. Read the rest of this entry »
May is Asian Pacific Heritage month here in the United States. I thought it a good time to feature an outstanding American Children’s book author and illustrator of Asian descent. Gyo Fujikawa was a trailblazer in many regards; she broke down the barriers of what I refer to as the “double majors”, she was female and also a minority yet made it to the top of her career as a prolific children’s book author and illustrator. Read the rest of this entry »
The toddler stage is such a beautiful stage in child development. Yes there are those notorious temper tantrums and the love for the word “No” but a tremendous amount of learning happens at this critical stage.
Toddler girls are getting into dolls and pretend friends while toddler boys are developing a fascination for anything that moves; cars, trucks, trains and dinosaurs. Boys tend to hold on to their fascination with moving things as grownups. Read the rest of this entry »
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Bola Ajumobi
SlimyBookworm.com is an online children’s bookstore with the feel of your neighborhood bookstore. “The Destination for Books Kids Love!”
