Kids of all ages probably feel that rules and social norms are confining. Think of all the rules preschoolers have to learn! Adults feel that same way too. I feel that way a lot and I’m in good company. Author and illustrator Peter Brown says this is his most autobiographical picture book to date! I’m…
Category: Best Books for Kids
Best picture books, chapter books, young adult books, graphic novels and non fiction for kids.
20 Gentle Chapter Books with Girl Characters
My reader Natalie has a young daughter who has been reading enthusiastically at a young age: My daughter read the first books of Penderwicks and Half Magic, but I should look into their sequels to return her to a more gentle universe 🙂 My daughter is probably a little unusual since she is reading since…
8 Children’s Books About Domestic Violence
My friend Sarah Perry heads up The Second Step, a non-profit in Newton that provides comprehensive support services to survivors of domestic violence. She reminded me that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I don’t think about Domestic Violence much but when I researched books for kids on this topic, the titles alone broke my…
Asian Furniture Design and Asian Furniture Designers
I’ve been researching Asian American and Asian furniture designers and artisans. Grasshopper and Sensei is enjoying the finds I am discovering and now she’s even talking about being an architect or furniture designer someday when she grows up. It’s not just the beautiful forms I’m searching for; it’s also the stories behind the designs. Take…
16 Children’s Books With Single Parents
Read these children’s books with single parents! Includes picture books and chapter books featuring single-parent and nontraditional families. The divorce rate in America peaked at around 50 percent in the 1980s and slowly has been trending downward. It is now slightly more than 40 percent. With so many divorced families, why are there more children’s…
10 Books to Read for Banned Book Week
In honor of Banned Book Week, let’s read a book on the list! 10 Books to Read for Banned Book Week Information on why the book is banned or challenged is excerpted from The Daily Beast. 1. TTYL series by Lauren Myracle The first book in the series, “TTYL,” was banned from a town in Texas…
Monsters In the Closet Picture Books: The Dark
I started haunting our local bookstore to read picture books but I always feel guilty using it like a library so I make sure to buy a small stack. When it comes to picture books, I am the pickiest purchaser ever because I am buying for myself! The Dark made my purchase pile. I had…







