It is January and that means #ReadYourWorld Day is coming!! This year I am one of the book reviewers once again. I believe I may have missed one year but have been reviewing books for almost every one of the fourteen years! Today we are sharing our first book for the 2026 day. It is Lorena and the Magic Mocha Mirror by Valerie Williams-Sanchez. It is recommended for ages 6 to 8 and the second edition is Dyslexia-friendly! Before we get to our review, we will share a bit about Read Your World.
Being back at school this week has been trying. I have been exhausted most nights and haven't been able to share books and more much with you. Today I am going to share a newly released book that is perfect for the winter and animal lovers! It is Arctic Adventure: A Tundra Tale by Jyoti Rajan Gopal and illustrated Alexandra Cook. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6. After the review there is a roundup of arctic animal crafts to go with the book.
New Year's Eve is almost here. To celebrate New Year's Eve one things about a countdown, fireworks and noisemakers, as well as a toast and special food and activities to keep everyone awake and entertained until the ball drops. New Year's Day is full of rest, brunch, resolutions and visiting. How do you celebrate with your kids? Over the years we have found some fun age-appropriate ways to celebrate with Hazel. New Year's is a special holiday for us because of her birthday. But even without her birthday around New Year's, I feel the start of a new year as a special restart for everyone. There are so many different ways it is celebrated around the world and even some different times of the year. Between the many countries that celebrate the lunar new year (this year it begins February 17, 2026) and the Jewish culture that celebrates Rosh Hashanah and of course the teachers who "celebrate" with a new school year. For this New Year's Eve I pulled together old posts, features from Sharing Saturday and asked fellow bloggers for ideas for you!
This week I spent three days in the woods in Vermont with some of my students. Every year our school goes on a field trip to an outdoor center in Vermont. The high school students can choose to go for two nights and the middle school and 5th and 6th grade are required to go for four nights. The time there is tech free for the kids. The goals are team building, bonding with one another and getting them out of their comfort zones. For many it is the first time they are away from their parents for this length of time. As much as I hate being away from home, it is a great experience, and I always enjoy it a bit more than I think I will. It is important for everyone to get into nature and enjoy it. Today I am going to share two new picture books about nature and uses your senses and imagination. The first is Tree Spirits Around the World words and photographs by Louise Wannier and illustrated by April Tatiana Jackson. It is recommended for ages four to nine but could work with any age.
Hispanic Heritage Month began on September 15th. It goes through October 15th. I have not focused on the heritage months as much as I have in the past because I truly believe books sharing any heritage and history is important for all kids to read and should be read any time. That said I am sharing a picture book today that takes place in Mexico so if you are someone who pays more attention to the heritage months, this book works for right now! It also is about helping an endangered animal species, so it is also perfect for Earth Day or a science lesson! The book is Pearls in the Sand: Protecting Sea Turtles in Oaxaca by Beatriz Gutiérrez Hernández. It is recommended for ages four to eight.
Ready for another summer theme? It is a good one--artists. Art and artists are a fun summer focus. You can read books, watch videos, do crafts and visit museums. It is so fun!! Today we are going to focus on the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. At the end of the post will be a roundup of resources on Hokusai as well as a roundup of resources on other famous artists. Today's products are not completely books. The first is Hokusai Prints Sticker Book: A Collection of Over 160 Removable Color Stickers by the Great Artist compiled by Tuttle Studio and illustrated by Katsushika Hokusai.
So, this week's summer theme is rocks. Let's face it you can find rocks just about everywhere--the beach, a river, a lake, your backyard, etc. Every year we do some craft from our treasures found at the beach but not everyone has a beach to go to each year. So, rocks are a perfect substitute plus there is the STEM behind rocks. I know digging in my garden I often find many rocks. Today I am going to share two new books with you (one released today) as well as a roundup of other rock resources and crafts. The first book is a picture book that teaches readers all about rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils in a fun way. The book is Talking Rocks and Minerals: Fact-Packed Guide to Geology by Paige Towler and illustrated by Matthew Carson. It is recommended for ages 6 to 9.
Happy First Day of Summer!! To kick off this season I get to share a fun book about sea creatures. Every summer Hazel and I always studied something about the ocean/beach. We always have a beach trip since we get the Cape house for a week. Plus, there are always great crafts to do with the treasures you find on a beach. So, to go with today's book I am sharing a roundup of sea star themed crafts! The book today is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Sea Star by Kathleen Welton and illustrated by Chau Pham.
Today I am sharing a nonfiction picture book that shares the life of a sea turtle. I have always loved these types of books. These books share a story about one animal but also share all sorts of facts and information about the animal within the story. Today's book is The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle by Maddalena Bearzi and illustrated by Alex Boersma. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. I am including a turtle craft roundup to go with the book.
April brings thoughts of a certain bunny visiting, but today I am going to share a book about a different type of bunnies. They are the bunnies on Nantucket. I've only been to Nantucket a couple of times and once was for a job interview, but I know Cape Cod is full of bunnies. In fact, when I was young the estate next to my grandparents' street was called Bunny Haven. I always wanted to live there. Sadly, it was sold and turned into a street full of multiple houses. However, the bunnies still fill the yards of all the houses. In the summer the bunnies are everywhere. Needless to say, today's book hit an extra special chord with my heart. The book is Bunnies to the Rescue! by Jeff Verney and illustrated by Melissa Bailey. At the end of this post there is a giveaway and a bunny craft roundup!
What can you make a handprint into? There are so many possibilities. Today I am sharing a sweet board book that looks at just that. The board book is My Hand Is the Sun by Christine Naumann-Villemin and illustrated by Géraldine Cosneau. It is recommended for ages 2 to 4. I am also sharing a handprint animal craft roundup to go with this adorable book.
The end of January is coming near. Lunar new year and the Read Your World Celebration are getting closer but so is Valentine's Day. Today we are going to focus on Valentine's Day and love. I am sharing two books for younger children that are perfect to get ready for Valentine's Day or in a loving mood and at the end of the post is a roundup of ideas for kids to make valentines and children's love songs to sing. One is a musical board book. It has buttons to push to hear the songs. It is Little Love Songs by Sandra Boynton. It is recommended for babies through age 5.
Have you ever worked hard on something and then had it destroyed by someone else? Perhaps you have watched a young child build a tower and then have another child knock it down. The frustration and anger the child feels. Today we are sharing a new picture book about a spider who works hard on creating beautiful webs only to feel that frustration when it is destroyed. The book is I Worked Hard on That! by Robyn Wall and illustrated by A.N. Kang. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. I am also including a spider web craft and activity round-up to go with the book.
Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Stephen Bowling to bring you this post.
Fall began on Sunday, and it is definitely in the air. This weekend was the first time the weather actually felt like fall in New England. It is time to put out the fall decorations--the pumpkins, mums, hay bales, and scarecrows! To celebrate the beginning of this wonderful season I get to share a book about a friendly scarecrow as well as a scarecrow craft round-up! The book is called Winslow Scarecrow: Scarecrows Are Supposed to Be Scary by Stephen G. Bowling and illustrated by Vitali Dudarenka.
As I mentioned in my last post I am visiting Cape Cod. Our house is on a marsh, and I shared a bit about saltwater marshes earlier this week. The other big thing in the news on Cape Cod is great white sharks. In fact, on this trip, we visited the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Shark Center in Chatham. I learned quite a bit about great white sharks and sharks in general there, but I also got a few books out of the library and did some searches for fun facts for you. There are more than 500 species of sharks and over 100 of them are endangered! Yet sharks have survived all five of the Earth's major extinctions. July 14th is Shark Awareness Day so this post will have you all set for it!
I love books that share about people you may not have heard of. Today I get to share a nonfiction picture book about a woman who explored colors and paints of under water to share what a scientist saw on his underwater exploration. The woman is Else Bostelmann. The book is Else B. in the Sea The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep by Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrated by Melodie Stacey.
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
As fall is upon us, the days are getting shorter which means that the sun is shining for less each day. Today we are sharing a sweet book about the sun deciding to take a dip in the ocean, and it needing saving to light the world again. The book is Saving the Sun by Emma Pearl and illustrated by Sara Ugolotti. Along with my review there is a craft round-up to go with the book and a giveaway!
Looking to teach little ones about the world? Today we are sharing a fun pop-up book that takes us around the world. I am also sharing links to crafts, activities, and recipes to go with each city and/or its country. The book is The Pop-Up Guide: Cities Around the World by Maud Poulain and illustrated by Sandra de la Prada. It is recommended for ages 3 to 5.
Over the years we have loved learning about butterflies and especially monarchs. We grow milkweed to help keep monarchs around. Today I get to share with you a wonderful new picture book about the long journey they take every autumn. The book is Home Is Calling: The Journey of the Monarch Butterfly by Katherine Pryor and illustrated by Ellie Peterson. It is recommended for ages 4 to 7. At the end of my post is a round-up of butterfly crafts and activities including a section on monarchs! It shares more than 50 ideas!
Do you know the difference between a penguin and a parrot? Do you know the similarities? Today's book is a fun book about an old pirate who thinks a penguin is a parrot. It is Pirate & Penguin by Mike Allegra and illustrated by Jenn Harney. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. Be sure to scroll down for the craft round-up and giveaway!
