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Birdsong : A literary gem

Written by contributor Rachelle Gilmore, who also happens to be an awesome friend.  We LOVE the library. And I mean LOVE. As a mom of two kids we make a trip weekly. Sometimes twice a week. My son, 2 years-old, loves working out the puzzles and grabbing the basket of crayons to color (scribble) a [...]

POSTED BY ON September 12, 2012         |           Comments { 5 }
children bookstore

Books and Cookies: Yes to literacy!

Unplugging the family is always high on my list. We got rid of our TV 8 years ago, but over the years our home has become filled with different kinds of screens. Say hello to the iPad, the iPhone and my 27-inch iMac. We are a tv-free family who is completely plugged in. So when [...]

POSTED BY ON August 7, 2012         |           Comments { 1 }

Chudney Ross’ Favorite Children’s Books

Books and Cookies is a fantastic book store in Santa Monica that embraces early literacy to the fullest. Lined with favorite children’s books and fun new ones, this store is a gem. If you haven’t checked out our tour, you should do so. You might even find inspiration for a reading area in your own home (The teepee is [...]

POSTED BY ON August 7, 2012         |           Comments { 0 }
Irresistible Reading Corner

How to create an irresistible reading corner for kids

Written by contributor Malia Hollowell of Playdough to Plato Encouraging children to spend more time reading can be as simple as creating a special spot for them to enjoy doing it. As you begin planning a designated reading corner in your home, here are four key details for you to consider:

POSTED BY ON June 18, 2012         |           Comments { 0 }
Story Time: Mom reading with children

Reading to your children: Why is story time so important?

Written by contributor Malia Hollowell of Playdough to Plato Why Is Story Time So Important? I am an elementary teacher by training and have spent many parent-teacher conferences and open houses encouraging parents to spend at least 20 minutes a day reading out loud to their children. What’s strange, however, is that I have rarely [...]

POSTED BY ON April 30, 2012         |           Comments { 5 }
Let's Talk About Race Picture Book by Julius Lester

Top 10 Children’s Picture Books About Diversity

We celebrate different cultures and diversity in our home. I think it’s an important lesson for our children to understand how people are all different but all the same too. People always ask what race my daughter is. I get the same question a lot too. I calculated Zoe’s ethnicity today. She is definitely a [...]

POSTED BY ON February 20, 2012         |           Comments { 13 }

Falling in love with children’s literature in 10 steps

What’s to love about literature? As the seasons change I find my family and I spending more time indoors. I like to create the perfect cozy corner in my home to get lost in a stellar book and sip a good cup of chai tea. How do I balance working from home, raising a four [...]

POSTED BY ON November 28, 2011         |           Comments { 3 }

Signs that tell you if your child is an emergent reader

Let your child read their favorite books again, and again, and Again! Yes, as parents we tend to get tired of reading the same stories over and over again. Have you had to read the great build up of The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle? Then you may know what I am talking about. But [...]

POSTED BY ON November 23, 2011         |           Comments { 0 }

Early literacy, letter sounds and reading

While knowing the alphabet – the names of the symbols representing letters – is nice, it will not help our children learn to read. However, knowing the sound that each letter makes will. Instead of “B” we like to say, “This is the letter that makes the sound buh.”  This makes singing the ABC song [...]

POSTED BY ON November 4, 2011         |           Comments { 0 }