In the past few weeks, I’ve gotten the question of whether or not I’ll allow my children to trick-or-treat this Halloween. I typically answer this question with a joke (one of my go-to coping mechanisms) when I ask: who gets to decide whether Halloween is cancelled, is this the municipal government’s job? Is Mayor Nenshi…
2020 has been a difficult year for most, and yes, I realize how much of an understatement that is. It will come as no surprise that I’ve turned to my trusty bookcase for guidance, but books can be a bridge of understanding and empathy for children as well. When things get complicated, we can look…
I’ve got a bunch of kids books that are waiting for review, so here’s a random assortment of ones I haven’t gotten to for awhile, but my children have been reading and enjoying for more than a few months. When this book was promoted as a mystery for kids, I was excited. “Finally-a picture book…
Now that March break is approaching, nervous parents are no doubt asking themselves “what do we do now”? For those who have booked sunny vacations elsewhere, CONGRATULATIONS GOOD FOR YOU but the rest of us need some options so I’m sliding in here to point you towards a few good books that can accompany any…
I’m not sure where the unicorn trend started. Was it with the advent of bright colours and sparkly accents to little girl’s clothes? Is it an extension of the popularity of My Little Pony? Was it when we started putting blow-up unicorn horns on our cats (or was that just me?). Regardless of its origins,…
When I was little, every holiday, even manufactured ones like Valentine’s Day were exciting, usually because it meant I was going to get something sugary to eat. Only a few things have changed since then; instead of getting chocolate from my parents, I now get it from my husband, and now that I’m a Mom,…
So my oldest is now at the point where she’s started asking me logistical questions about Christmas. Questions such as; how does Santa fit through all the different-sized chimneys? How does he visit all the children in one night? Why do some kids not get gifts for Christmas, doesn’t Santa bring gifts to all kids…
What do you do with your holiday books between January and November? Do they live on your bookshelf with your other kids books, or are you like me and pack them away with your decorations, ready to be discovered each year? It may seem like a strange habit to get into, but because we have…
Holiday picture books are my absolute favourite way to get in the ‘mood’ for something. Even though we read them all year around, they seem to radiate an important aura as the relevant date approaches, getting both myself and my kids event more excited for what’s to come. I received two Halloween books in the…
I love reading to my kids for various reasons, but what I’m most thankful for when it comes to picture books is the effortless way they can introduce a complicated concept that would feel strange just starting a random conversation about. Reading a book is an easy and accessible way to broach a subject with…
Here we are in the thick of summer, and in Calgary at least, some rainy days are looming ahead. What is a parent to do with these unfilled hours, rather then just pray September arrives sooner? Books are always my go-to, and I’m thankful that my 4 year-old is getting better and better at reading/sort…
Ok I know what you’re thinking-where’s part one? I wrote a guest blog post for the not-for-profit organization Calgary Reads where I highlighted some new and notable picture books about kindness, and that was my part one. This post is my part two because you can’t have enough books about being kind to one another-especially…
