Tag Archives: wall coverings

International Children’s Digital Libary Foundation

I have an amazing resource to share today. The International Children’s Digital Library Foundation is a free online library with thousands of children’s books from around the world. This digital library has an amazing selection of books. To give you an idea, there are currently 662 books in many different languages in the preschool age range alone, and 121 that were originally written in English. You will find books written in Portuguese, Yiddish, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Dutch, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, French, Norwegian, and many, many more. Most of the books are translated into English. Some are translated into many … Continue reading →

Meet a Families.com Blogger – Valorie Delp!

Welcome to a new series here in Media Reviews, where we will get to know our Families.com bloggers a little bit better. Our first interview will be with Valorie Delp. Valorie, how long have you blogged for Families.com? I started in June of 2006. What topics do you blog about? Currently–homeschooling, food and baby (or as someone else aptly put it–the breastfeeding blog) What is your favorite thing about blogging for Families.com? There are lots of things I like–but one thing that stands out here vs just a plain old freelance writing job, is the community. You get to know … Continue reading →

Children’s Literature – American History for Kids

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Introducing children to history and politics may be a tricky thing to manage. How old does a child need to be before it is fair game to discuss the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers? At what point do you venture into a conversation about the presidents and the role of politics in our daily lives? These are tough questions and while I do not have the exact answers for what is best for you and your family, I can suggest two books that do a fine job of teeing up the discussion of these very topics. John, Paul, George … Continue reading →

Children’s Literature – Little Miss Liberty and Adele & Simon

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Quick reviews of two wonderful kids’ books that my family is enjoying right now. Both are set primarly in Paris, France and are a joy to read aloud to a toddler. Little Miss Liberty by Chris Roberston Chronicle Books, 2005 Buy today from Amazon.com for only $4.99! You may be surprised to learn that before she climbed up onto her pedestal in the middle of New York Harbor, Lady Liberty was just a little kid growing up in Paris, France who had loving parents, went to school and loved to eat and read. All of it is true, at least … Continue reading →

The Good, the Bad, and the Inappropriate: Banning Books from Your Child’s School Library

I first started thinking about this issue when Tristi Pinkston wrote a review of the Junie B. Jones books. One commenter felt like Junie’s grammar was atrocious and so she wasn’t thrilled her daughter was reading them, but I feel like they will eventually be part of the ‘modern classics’ along with Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume. Then I read an article about a mother who is apparently engaged in a fight with the Georgia Board of Education to remove the popular Harry Potter books claiming that they encourage witch craft among young children. Here comes my dilemma. While I … Continue reading →

The Junie B. Jones Books – Barbara Park

Junie B. Jones is one of the most popular children’s book series of all time. I asked one fan, my daughter Caryn, what it is about Junie B. Jones that makes her so appealing to children. Caryn said: “She is funny and a lot of the time I can understand why she does things. Even though she’s a little misbehaved, she’s still very cute and very funny. She is always trying new things. You’ll have to read the book; it’s very fun!” The premise behind Junie B. is simple: she’s an ordinary kid, in an ordinary school, facing ordinary problems. … Continue reading →

The Story of Mankind

We live under the shadow of a giant question mark. Who are we? Where do we come from? Whither are we bound? Slowly, but with persistent courage, we have been pushing this question mark further and further towards that distant line, beyond the horizon, where we hope to find our answer. The winner of the first Newbery Medal in 1922 was “The Story of Mankind” by Hendrick Willem van Loon. It is a book about the origins and rise of mankind and tells all about history. Now, this book has been updated since its original release in 1921. It includes … Continue reading →

The John Newbery Medal

Here we go, readers, on another adventure in children’s books. For those of you who read my reviews on the Caldecott Medal winners, you may enjoy this series even more. The Newbery Medal has been awarded every year since 1922 (16 years before the Caldecott Medal) to “the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” — to quote the Association for Library Service to Children (a division of the American Library Association). It became the first children’s book award in the world. Although John Newbery was a British publisher and bookseller, he is often credited with … Continue reading →

Home and Garden Week in Review: Sep. 25-30

We hope you have enjoyed this week’s articles from Knives for the Kitchen: How Sharp! to What’s for Dinner and Off the Wall – Wall Coverings. Marjorie, Michele, and I (Sherry) would love to hear your comments. Check back next week (a brand new month) for lots of new articles involving everything from crazy stuff that happens in our homes and families to new products, tips, and ideas. September 25 Going Green Part 2—“Green” Paint Just Do it! Investment: Your Home What’s for Dinner? Knives For The Kitchen: How Sharp! September 26 Your Home-Shoes On… Or Shoes Off? Going Green—Part … Continue reading →