Best picture books for kids

SAT Vocabulary Words for Kindergarteners from Caps for Sale

Posted on March 27, 2011June 10, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

My son’s Kindergarten teacher is really up on the latest ideas on early childhood education. She believes in big words for little people and uses these six new words during daily conversations at school and during activities. We are also encouraged to use them at home and to make a game out using them. So I asked my 6-year-old son what “ordinary” means and he gave me this long winded story about how from one day to the next, the books in the bookshelves of an “ordinary” day would not be disturbed. I think the smile/laugh value of hearing kids relate these words to their every day lives is well worth this exercise. I think the same of my son’s karate class — it’s like an episode of Saturday Night Live, only actually funny.

10 Great Pokémon Children’s Books Recommended by My Son

Posted on March 26, 2011June 10, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

There are a LOT of pokemon books out there. My son is obsessed with pokemon (he’s 5) and these are our favorites. There are also pokemon chapter books that are great for encouraging boys to read — all books promote literacy! We don’t have any listed because they are too advanced for my son.

Barefoot Books, multicultural books for kids, The Boy Who Grew Flowers

Best Barefoot Books from my Barefoot Book Fairy

Posted on March 25, 2011June 10, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

The book and card selection that Leah sent showed me a whole different side of Barefoot Books. What I loved about each item was that it combined an educational aspect with entertainment. The books have nuances that include multi-cultural themes (Little Leap Forward), magical realism (The Boy Who Grew Flowers), and math concepts (The Real Princess) that makes each book special, interesting, and engaging. As for the card decks, these are really well done and I know that we will be using them a lot!

Picture Book On Rescue Dog after Loss of Pet

Posted on March 23, 2011June 10, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

In The Blue House Dog by Deborah Blumenthal, Cody, a boy who is probably 8 to 10 years old, notices a stray dog in his neighborhood. As he watches the dog day after day, Cody starts to notice everything: where the dog sleeps and how it might feel, how the dog is scared of dog catchers and the police, how thin he is, his unusual eye coloring, and how no one else thinks this dog is special. Perfect for children who have lost their beloved pet. Advanced picture book, ages 6-10.

26 Favorite Counting Picture Books

Posted on March 21, 2011June 10, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

I remember how much I enjoyed a counting book with a twist. I do completely believe in the power of picture books to teach math concepts but I do need a little something extra as I am reading the book for the tenth time. My own counting picture book library was not too robust so I trolled through a 4 foot stack of counting books to find these treasures. I hope that you and your child enjoy them. What are your favorite counting books? Please leave a comment and I’ll keep adding to this list.

SAT Vocabulary Words from Picture Book A Little Bit of Winter

Posted on March 16, 2011June 10, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

My Kindergartener gets these words sent home and we are supposed to make an educational game around it by using these words during our conversations. I’m afraid we not that together. Instead, I cut out the words and we ask him during dinner what he thinks each words means. If he gets it right, we move to the next one. If he gets it wrong, we read the sentence, ask him again, and then explain if he’s off. Then I throw the paper away — of course, this blog is my electronic filing system so it’s immortalized here. But we are not good at making it a game. Ideas for how you use these words as a fun game are much appreciated! The only thing that makes this a game is trying to get his older sisters NOT to chime in with the meaning. That’s very hard for them!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Pragmatic Mom, caldecott

Top 10: Caldecott Winners 2000-2010 & My Caldecott Collection

Posted on March 6, 2011June 10, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

I am a little dismayed at how few Caldecott books I own so I am posting on the last decade in order to beef up my own collection which I shall purchase myself. So, for my birthday and mother’s day, I am going to ask for this collection of Caldecott books for our library. And all that talk in the New York Times about the diminishing sales of picture books? Well, I’ll help to turn that around! Which books are your favorites?