Posts in Books & Entertainment
35 Favorite Picture Books for Kids
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Though Laurel and Violet differ in many ways, one characteristic they most definitely share is their love of books. While I was collecting their beloved but outgrown board books to hand down to my sister, I made a list of the picture books that have received request upon request by both girls. These picks will be wonderful for your library; they shine in wording, messaging, and illustration. Enjoy! And feel free to add your favorites in the comments below!

  1. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
  2. A Birthday for Frances
  3. Bread and Jam for Frances
  4. Caps for Sale
  5. The Cat in the Hat
  6. Doctor DeSoto
  7. Duck on a Bike
  8. Ella Takes the Cake
  9. The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit
  10. George & Martha: Best of Friends
  11. The Gigantic Turnip
  12. Great Day For Up
  13. Guji Guji
  14. Harold and the Purple Crayon
  15. I’ll Teach My Dog 100 Words
  16. The Kissing Hand
  17. The Little House
  18. Llama Llama Red Pajama
  19. Make Way for Ducklings
  20. Madeline
  21. Miss Nelson is Missing
  22. Miss Rumphius
  23. Olivia
  24. Penguin
  25. Penguin and Pinecone
  26. Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore
  27. A Pocket for Corduroy
  28. The Shape of Me
  29. The Snail and the Whale
  30. Stone Soup
  31. Swimmy
  32. Tillie and the Wall
  33. Toot & Puddle
  34. Where is the Cake?
  35. Zen Ties

Image credits: book jackets via Amazon; compilation graphic by Christine Koh

20 Great Board Books for Babies & Toddlers
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I love having two sisters to share baby hand me downs with (I was fortunate to receive amazing hand me downs at my secondhand baby shower!), and as I've been collecting Vi's outgrown board books to pass along, I thought I'd share a roundup of 20 great board books for babies and toddlers in honor of Children's Book Day (today). These picks are perfect for gifting or expanding your own library!

1. Barnyard Dance

2. Bear About Town

3. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do you See?

4. Boston 123

5. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

6. Doggies

7. Go Dog Go

8. The Going to Bed Book

9. Good Night, Gorilla

10. Good Night Moon

11. Guess How Much I love You

12. Harry the Dirty Dog

13. How Kind

14. The Hat

15. I Love You Through and Through

16. Little Blue Truck

17. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?

18. Sheep in a Jeep

19. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

20. Who’s In the Forest?

Have other favorite board books to share? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!

Image credits: book jackets via Amazon

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Picture Books with Strong Female Lead Characters
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Today, Lindsey shares some great book recommendations:

My daughter is 11, and in her independent reading has found a rich vein of chapter books with strong female protagonists (see my earlier post on books for strong and smart girls). Island of the Blue Dolphins, A Wrinkle in Time, Harriet the Spy, and even The Hunger Games series: all of these share gutsy, brave, intelligent girl narrators.

We have been somewhat less successful finding strong female lead characters in picture books, which we still read. Perhaps because I love the category so fiercely, my children do too, and many nights we curl up on the couch to read a new find or an old favorite. I am always looking for books that feature passionate and interesting female characters, to offer a counterpoint to the many picture books written about fascinating, strong-willed, and bright boys. Personally, I care about presenting both my daughter and my son with a balance of girl and boy role models; I think it's equally important for both of them. Here are some of my favorites:

1 + 2. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole are two books that have long been in our rotation, and which I've given to both of my goddaughters. Each is an explicit attempt to re-write the common princess narrative, which can often emphasize helplessness and a lack of autonomy.

3. Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio and LeUyen Pham makes me cry every single time I read it. Elementary school-aged Grace discovers that there has never been a female president and after getting over her shock, decides to run for president in their school's mock election. Her male competitor assumes that all the boys will give their electoral votes to him (as an aside, this book offers a terrific introduction to the electoral college). The close election comes down to Sam, who represents Wyoming's 3 electoral votes. I'll let you read it to find out the ending, but suffice it to say I adore this book.

4. Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts was under the tree for my 9-year-old son this year, and we all have enjoyed reading it several times. Rosie, who dreams of being an engineer, remembers when her audacious imagination was squashed by the teasing of an uncle. Then she recalls her great-great aunt Rose who built airplanes (from the looks of the illustration, in WW2) and sets her mind to creating a machine that will make Rose's dream, to fly, come true. The book reminds us all that failure is a necessary part of success, and that we can't possibly make our dreams come true if we don't even try.  Rosie's heroism has nothing to do with her gender, but instead for her grit and gumption, her dedication and hard work.

5. The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke and Kerstin Meyer is about a young princess, raised by her father and brothers after her mother's death. She is told by her family that she needs to get married, but what she wants to do is joust and compete like her older brothers. Finally, she disguises herself as a boy to enter a tournament. When she wins, she is able to free herself from the traditional "girl" path and also to demonstrate how strong and capable girls can be.

Do you have favorite picture books that depict strong female leads? Feel free to share in the comments below!

Image credit: Lindsey Mead

14 Awesome Craft/DIY Books
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March is National Craft Month, and given how much I love crafting + the fact that I have some seriously crafty friends, I thought it would be fun to share a roundup of awesome craft/DIY books. The amazing thing? When I queried these creatives, they all shared different recommendations across different craft types. LOVE. I can't wait to add all of these titles to my craft library!

1. Decorating Cookies by Bridget Edwards. “I love a DIY book where I can learn something completely new. When it comes to the most adorably decorated sugar cookies you've ever seen and the best step by step instructions to help you get it right every time, this book rocks! Bridget is the Michael Jordan of cookie decorating.” -Kami of No Biggie

2. Fabrics A-Z by Dana Willard. “This sewing and fabric book from the lovely Dana Willard of MADE is the perfect guide for choosing the right style of fabric for your project!” -Marie of Make and Takes

3. Hand in Hand by Jenny Doh. “This book includes gorgeous and doable projects that parents and children can craft together. The photography is beautiful and colorful and the projects are inspiring.” -Caroline of Salsa Pie

4. Knitting New Mittens & Gloves by Robin Melanson. “A great option for when you're ready to try something more advanced. The patterns are gorgeous and reflect different ethnic and cultural traditions, including Icelandic, Celtic, and German. The patterns are sized for adults and children, and include a good range of mittens, gloves, fingerless gloves, mittens with fold-over flaps, and and even arm warmers. I've made several patterns from this book and wear and enjoy them all.” -Kate of Boston Mamas

5. Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. "This book is replete with adorable and stylish projects ranging from quick (coasters) to more involved (quilts). It's one of my go-to inspiration points when I'm thinking about starting a new sewing project." -Christine of Boston Mamas

6. Make and Takes for Kids by Marie LeBaron. “As much as I love to make things and craft, I fall short when it comes to simple and cute kid crafts, so I love Make and Takes for Kids as a quick go to when it comes to kid crafting...and as a bonus, I happen to love the author.” -Kami of No Biggie

7. Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. “There are so many good ones — most that we keep tend to be very specific and niche and we pick them up as my kids interests change and develop. But if you're just starting to build your crafting library, my favorite general book is Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts. It's the real deal. Great information. Great visuals. All from a crafting team that knows their glue glitter.” -Gabrielle of Design Mom

8. Modge Podge Rocks by Amy Anderson. “The book features more than 40 fun and fantastic projects using the wonder-supply that all crafters adore: Mod Podge!” -Caroline of Salsa Pie

9. New Dress a Day by Marisa Lynch. Marisa is a self-taught seamstress and yet is able to turn thrift store castoffs into covet-worthy & current pieces, like her "As Seen on TV" runway copycats for Hello Giggles & the Goodwill-to-gala pieces she upcycled for the sisters in The Fighter to wear on the Oscars red carpet. Her unassuming attitude and inclusive tips make even a total amateur feel at ease ponying up to her sewing machine for the first time.” -Melissa of Shoestring Magazine

10. Oliver + S Little Things to Sew by Liesl Gibson. “A pleasure just to look at, the patterns in this book are a compilation of the best from the Oliver + S company. Skirts, jackets, backpacks, and wonderful hats, all sized for children but in designs that will appeal to adults. The patterns indicate their level of difficulty, and the instructions are illustrated and pretty easy to follow. A fun book for sewing for kids.” -Kate of Boston Mamas

11. POM-POMS! 25 Awesomely Fluffy Projects by Sarah Goldschadt & Lexi Walters Wright. “I love all the unique and fun tutorials to make yarn poms from this Pom-Poms book. From little creatures to flowers to garlands. It makes me yarn happy!” -Marie of Make and Takes

12. Put Your Stamp On It by Meagan Lewis. “This stamping book is one of my favorites to get project ideas on things to make with my 5 year old daughter Chloe. We love to stamp to make pictures, wrapping paper or cards so it's a great way to try new techniques.” -Natalie of Coquette

13. Sewing for All Seasons by Susan Beal. “I am a sewer at heart and this book has lots of easy year-round small sewing projects you can make such as placemats, aprons, ornaments, slippers and more.  The fabrics used for the projects in the book are just gorgeous so I sometimes just find myself just flipping through the photos when I don't have time to actually sew.” -Natalie of Coquette

14. Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg & Cheryl Arkison. “This book is a great beginner's guide to quilting. Pretty patterns, good inspiration, and easy-to-follow instructions that actually make quilting seem within reach. A great place to start out for a first quilt (as I did) or to try something a bit more advanced.” -Kate of Boston Mamas

Image credits: book jackets via Amazon; compilation image by Christine Koh

Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome
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Happy Saturday, everyone, what a beautiful day! I'm currently recovering from the insanity that was waiting at the post office to process Laurel's passport (if you need to do this, do yourself a favor and go on a weekday if you can swing it) and happy to be sitting in a sunbeam with a cup of coffee! Anyway, kick back and enjoy this edition of Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome!

- I guest posted about 6 ways to make parenting easier over at the Care.com blog. Go on and make your life easier!

- 15 things to give up if you want to be happy.

- O.M.G. Minimalist Parenting is available as an audio book!

- Books about women who changed history.

- Crazy amazing interior design ideas.

- I am, admittedly, the least shocking part of this shocking show via Dadsaster.

- Healthy 5-ingredient granola bars.

- Journalists at Sochi are live tweeting their hilarious and gross hotel experiences.

- A conference call in real life.

- On the trouble with the “do what you love” mantra.

- The bread that will change your whole world.

- How to take better smartphone pictures.

- An open letter to my kids about their lunch.

Image credit: Pinterest

Friday Find: Where Is the Cake?
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Today's Friday Find is perfect for book lovers! When I first opened T. T. Khing's Where Is the Cake? (a gift to Violet from my awesome brother-in-law) I was initially puzzled as there was nothing for me to read. But this look-and-find book has since proven incredibly captivating for kids and adults alike. The pages include numerous animal plot lines; even after a dozen "reads" I found myself discovering new story elements. We love this book and I'll be ordering Khing's follow up Where Is the Cake Now? soon!

Image credits: covers via Amazon

8 Black History Month Learning Resources
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In honor of Black History Month I wanted to share some resources to help inspire conversations and learning with your kids. Below is a roundup of books, printables, crafts, and interactive tools; if you've come across other great resources, I'd love to hear about them in the comments! Also, my friend Kelly Wickham, an incredibly smart writer and educator, will be be posting regularly about Black History Month; check her first post on Langston Hughes.

1. An interactive Underground Railroad journey.

2. Rising with Rosa Parks app.

3. MLK poem and timeline.

4. Black History Month worksheets.

5. Black History Month coloring pages.

6. Take a virtual heritage tour.

7. Make a peace wreath.

8. I posted last month about these 4 civil rights movement books for kids. And here are some other highly rated books for kids:

Image credits: all images via linked sources above

    Best of January 2014
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    Happy Sunday everyone! It was a gorgeous morning for the 5-miler I ran in Cambridge (so fun to run the whole way with friends, btw!) and now I'm cozied up at home while Violet naps and Laurel is off at a playdate. If you're looking to catch up on some web reading, there was so much great content on the site last month. Enjoy this compilation of the best of January 2014:

    At Home

    - 30 things to do when school is cancelled

    - 7 ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year with kids

    Books & Entertainment

    - Civil rights movement books for kids

    - 14 awesome puzzles for babies, kids, and grownups

    Critter Love

    - For the love of penguins

    - Groundhog Day trivia and celebration

    Fashion

    - The ridiculously awesome pants everyone keeps asking me about

    Food & Fitness

    - Meals made easy: warm winter salad

    - Jeannie's apple crumble pie

    - 16 sources of totally doable fitness and nutrition inspiration

    Local

    - A great spot for budding thespians

    - Local Gems: Beacon Hill, Boston

    - Local Gems: Medford

    Personal/Professional

    - Inspiration to help you be even more awesome in 2014

    Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome

    - Volume 1

    - Volume 2

    Image credit: blood orange loaf cake via Pinterest

    14 Awesome Puzzles for Babies, Kids, & Grownups

    Thanks to yesterday's Weekly Blueprint, I learned that tomorrow (January 29) is National Puzzle Day. Yay for puzzles! Laurel has always loved puzzles (as have I) and Violet is following suit with freakish focus. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share some of our favorite puzzles across stages. We love working on big puzzles as a family, but I admittedly still find it satisfying to snap together a 30-piecer! Here are 14 awesome options:

    1. Melissa & Doug rules when it comes to chunky puzzles such as this farm animals puzzle. It's perfect for toddler paws that are just starting to strive for motor control greatness.

    2. The little four-piece puzzles in this Mother Goose set were a favorite of Vi's. 

    3. I love the illustrations in eeBoo products and this baby animals puzzle pairs set is no exception. Laurel loved it as a toddler, and so did Vi. The only thing Vi didn't like was the mismatched pairs (babies separated from their mamas), a function of us losing various pieces over the years.

    4. This 12-piece Very Hungry Caterpillar puzzle is a great option for fans of the book (isn't that everyone?). Also, the sturdy pieces and carry pouch are perfect for (sometimes destructive) toddlers.

    5. Jon bought this 30 piece barnyard floor puzzle for Violet last Christmas and it has received lots of action. The pieces are nice and sturdy, the animals are beautifully illustrated, and the unusual shape is a nice alternative.

    6. On more than one occasion, Vi has sung the Animal Boogie song while working on this 36-piece Animal Boogie puzzle.

    7. This multisided Melissa & Doug pets cube puzzle is a little trickier, but definitely offers a lot of bang for your buck (6 puzzles!) once your child is ready for it.

    8. Laurel and I have done this Around the World 100-piece puzzle about a million times. I love it and can't wait for when Vi is ready for it!

    9. Ravensburger makes great puzzles and this 200-piece castle fantasy puzzle includes a good mix of elements to hunt down.

    10. Introduce your kids to fine art (and a family challenge) with this Starry Night 500-piece puzzle.

    11. We have a different configuration of this 8-in-1 Disney puzzle assortment and Laurel and I did all 8 puzzle options many, many times. The multipack is nice in that you can choose puzzle size (150, 300, 500 pieces) depending on your mood and ambition.

    12. When your family is ready to tackle 1,000 pieces, this balloon bonaza puzzle is a fun option. We've done it several times!

    13. Not surprisingly, Laurel loves this candy galore puzzle. The unusually shaped pieces make for a fun challenge.

    14. Aside from the fun of assembling this 1,000-piece cupcake puzzle, Laurel and Violet both like talking about the cupcakes. The mini-poster that comes with this puzzle became Violet's "menu."

    Image credits: all images credited to linked sources above.