This great Going into 5th Grade Summer Reading list is a collaboration between the Newton Public School Library Teachers & the Newton Free Children’s Librarians. My daughter, PickyKidPix, also has a book list of 4th grade chapter books she recommends. What are you reading this summer with your kids? Other lists here: Rising Kindergarten Summer…
Lessons From The Boston Freedom Trail
Can you believe that I have not chaperoned a field trip for PickyKidPix since she was in Kindergarten?! And now she is about to graduate from 5th grade to start Middle School! I had two choices, The Museum of Fine Arts and The Freedom Trail so I asked my daughter to choose and she asked…
Rising 5th Grade Summer Reading List
This great summer reading list is the result of a fruitful collaboration between the Newton Public School Library Teachers & the Newton Free Children’s Librarians. I’ve discovered a secret: don’t use your school’s summer reading list, use MINE instead. Why? Your list of books will never be on your library bookshelves because your entire town…
What is Your Favorite Mom Indulgence? I have 5!
It took me years before I decided I was worth it. Carving out time for myself felt selfish and decadent. I started slowly when my youngest started preschool with resuming exercise after nearly a decade of doing nothing. At first I had to justify exercise. It was for my health. It made me a better…
I Appreciate You: 5th Grade Student Gift Ideas
My oldest is in 7th grade now, Grasshopper and Sensei, and this was a gift each 5th grade kid received. Each child wrote one sentence to each of their classmates on why they appreciate that person. Their teacher typed it up and printed it on beautiful paper. It reminds me of what she was like…
Read Aloud Books for Kids and Other Ideas For Summer Fun
It all started with a few tweets: Bonnie of @MrsStraitsClass mentioned that she read aloud to her kids every day. I teach elementary actually but even if I didn’t, I’d still read aloud every day. I love using accents and fun voices. 🙂 Accents and fun voices?!! I had to know more! I begged her to…
Monster Picture Book for Kids With Keep Out Signs
Sibling relationships, specifically big brother and little sister, are at the center of one of the funniest picture books on monsters that I’ve read in a while. As I think about siblings getting along (or not!), I only need to look to the bedroom doors of my three kids for an illustration of this dynamic…







