Category: Best Books for Kids

Best picture books, chapter books, young adult books, graphic novels and non fiction for kids.

Lao Woodcarving Artisans Teach Me Tuesday Laos Pragmatic Mom Pragmatic Mom

Exploring Laos with Books for Kids, Culture and Art

Posted on by Pragmatic Mom

I’ve never been to Laos but I want to. My first introduction via children’s literature is from Mali Under the Night Sky, A Lao Story of Home. This story is universal in that it gives a gentle background to the refugee immigrant story and has a place in any classroom or home. I’ve found amazing Lao artisans who work with materials on hand including silver, wood, fibers and more. Finally, The Plain of Jars is fascinating stuff and still a mystery to be solved. Come explore Laos from your armchair with your children!

Read more
Best Baseball Chapter Books

17 Great Baseball Books for Kids

Posted on by Pragmatic Mom

These books are from a Mom Blogger friend at CoffeeShopBloggers whose daughter is a sports fanatic and these were her favorite baseball books. These books are all appropriate for grades 3-5th. The “…and Me” novels, also known as, the Baseball Card Adventures are fun because the child in the story travels back in time to meet a baseball legend. I suspect that any little leaguer who might not love to read otherwise will enjoy these books!

Read more
Secret Hidden Things in Picture Books

10 Secret Hidden Things in Picture Books

Posted on by Pragmatic Mom

I appreciate that the author/illustrator realizes that the adult might be reading their book 2650 times so they’ve added a little twist to keep us going. And these twists are not advertised anywhere in the book; they are just there for those who need a little something because repetition is numbing their mind. I love their creativity and the fact that the hidden things are under the radar. It feels like a secret club. Here’s the secret handshake to join … tell me your favorite book like this. I am still struggling to find one more! Thanks!

Read more
Top 10: Starting School Books

24 Starting School Picture Books

Posted on by Pragmatic Mom

A transition to a new grade or school, not matter how small, is difficult for children. It’s helpful to visit the new school as often as possible. Play with kids that will be at the same school if you can. And read, read, read to your child books about starting school. The familiarity of routines and activities of the new school will take a lot of the anxiety away. So, while my youngest has been visiting his elementary school for 5 years so far, we’ll take it one step at a time and read these books over and over to ensure a smooth landing in September. And a few playdates with new friends is also on the books!

Read more
caught in the act of reading pragmatic mom literacy getting kids to love reading

Caught in the Act … of READING

Posted on by Pragmatic Mom

Thank you to everyone who sent in a photo! There are such great photos this week!!! I always need more so please keep them coming to pragmaticmom.com(at)gmail(dot)com. Thank you!!! It is always fun for me to see what old friends are up to and meet new folks. This week, I have a old work colleague who left to pursue other endeavors. She took the gorgeous black and white photo and even her snapshots are amazing as she is a portrait photographer! I met another mom friend, author Melissa Wiley, at KidLitCon 2010 last fall and we both vowed to get All of a Kind Family books back in print. She was responsible for single handedly getting the Betsy-Tacy-Tib series back in print so I have recruited a heavy hitter to my cause! Thank you again to everyone and hope you all have a marvelous Monday!!!

Read more