Welcome to my obsession with children’s books–especially the ones that deal with everyday challenges in a fun and compelling way. I’ll share old classics, new gems, and everything in between to help support you and your kids (or just your kids if they like to read solo). Sign up and you’ll get my top-pick resources, delivered to your inbox each month on the full and new moon.
How to Become An Accidental Genius by Elizabeth McLeod and Frieda Wishinsky (Orca Book Publishers, 2019)
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” –Albert Einstein What if we could see our failures as opportunities? What if we could recognize that accidents can lead to innovation, invention and scientific breakthrough? In this non-fiction book, we learn how to become… Read More
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018)
This is an important book. It’s about rights, justice, and freedom of girls to receive an education. It’s about how life isn’t fair. It’s about choosing to do scary things. It’s about change. 12-year-old Amal lives in a small village in Pakistan. Being forced into servitude to pay off her… Read More
Can You Hear the Trees Talking? by Peter Wohlleben (Greystone Books, 2019)
I think of myself as a nature lover. I’ve gone on nature walks all over the world and hugged a fair share of trees. I’m tuned into the mysteries of the forest. What I didn’t realize, was that I had a lot to learn about the magic of trees. Trees… Read More
Now by Antoinette Portis (Roaring Brook Press, 2017)
It’s officially autumn here in the Northern hemisphere! Back to school time sure makes September busy. It’s the perfect time to slow down, grab this book and cozy up with a little one. A leaf, a hug, a worm, swinging or whatever the little girl is doing right now, is… Read More
Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2018)
Twelve-year old Louisiana Elefante is spunky, brave and determined to find her way back home. Louisiana tells her story first hand—to make sure somebody knows what happened to her. It begins when her eccentric granny wakes her up at 3 am to tell her the day of reckoning has arrived,… Read More
Everything You Need for a Treehouse by Carter Higgins (Chronicle Books, 2018)
This is a pass around and pause picture book. You won’t want to miss any of the details of the beautifully illustrated treehouses. Kids are playing, sleeping, climbing, building and imagining, in this poetic story of how to build a treehouse. “Everything you need for a treehouse starts with time… Read More
Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor (Alladin Paperbacks, 1985)
“I’m sorry for kids who don’t have a rock for a friend” We all need a special rock to hold. In this classic favourite, a young girl shares her 10 (serious but entertaining) rules for finding a rock that’s just right. Want to take rock hunting to the next level?… Read More
Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010)
Melody is 11 and has never spoken a single word out loud. She can’t walk, talk, feed herself, or go to the bathroom on her own. Melody has cerebral palsy. She has a brilliant mind and a photographic memory—and no one knows. The kids in her integrated classroom think Melody’s… Read More
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran (Harper Collins, 1991)
It was a rocky hill in the Arizona desert with nothing but sand, rocks, old boxes, cacti and desert plants. Marian called it Roxaboxen. It was an enchanted place—brought to life by the children’s imagination. Marian, her siblings and friends create a village and lively play worlds using what they… Read More
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (Harper Collins, 2009)
18-year old Sophie is afraid and overworked when she’s cursed by The Witch of the Waste. After being turned into a 90-year old woman, Howl’s Moving Castle is the only place she can get help—but Wizard Howl is feared and dreaded by all. What’s so fun about this book is… Read More