• Lists

    Top Ten Tuesday: Animal Companions in Middle Grade

    Top Ten Tuesday

    While this theme could go in many different directions, I chose to find middle grade novels that included a pet or familiar as an animal companion! There are so many great books with animals in them, and we could do a whole other list on books from an animal perspective,…

  • Activities

    Storytime Theme: Polar Friends

    Polar Friends Storytime header

    While it’s simple to create a lesson plan all about polar bears or penguins, I thought it might be fun to create a lesson plan that brings them together with other animals that live in the same habitats. And while you’ll never see a polar bear and a penguin living…

  • Lists

    Alliterative Read Alouds

    Alliterative Read Alouds header

    I love alliteration! It’s probably a weird statement, but it’s true. As a children’s librarian I would often try to name programs with alliterations because I thought the name sounded catchy! Children’s books are full of alliterations as well, probably for the same reason. And for the fact that it…

  • Activities

    Storytime Theme: Grandparents Day

    Grandparents Day storytime header

    Grandparents Day, in the U. S. is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. And I think it would be the perfect time to share some really special picture books about grandparents! These sweet, and sometimes silly picture books are sure to be a hit and when you pair…

  • Lists

    Top Ten Tuesday: Middle Grade Books with Travel

    Top Ten Tuesday

    I love a road trip and with my own vacation coming up soon, this was the perfect theme for me this week! Today, I’m sharing ten middle grade novels about travel and whether that’s a road trip with your favorite people, running away from something or running toward something, or…

  • Activities

    Storytime Theme: Cheese

    cheese storytime header

    Have you seen those memes about cheese where the kid is literally just shredding cheese right into their mouth? That’s my level of love for cheese! I love a little charcuterie board filled with all kinds of cheese and when I’m feeling a little peckish, I’ll grab a cheese stick…

  • Lists

    Newish Dinosaur Books for Little Ones

    Newish Dinosaur Picture Books header

    Dinosaur books are a crowd favorite and they always will be! I’m not sure how it became a right of passage for so many little ones to go through a stage of absolute adoration of these prehistoric beasts, but here we are caregivers of little ones who can barely saw…

  • Activities

    Storytime Theme: Human Body

    Human Body storytime header

    Without actually planning it, I seem to be creating a number of storytimes that focus on basic toddler and preschool concepts and today is no different. Today we’re talking all about the human body and this one is specifically about body parts rather than feeling good in your skin (or…

  • Lists

    Top Ten Tuesday: How My Blogging Has Changed Over Time

    Top Ten Tuesday

    I started blogging at the insistence of my partner who is definitely an “ideas” person. He was very much on board with me starting a blog and I was way more skeptical. I mean, honestly, who would even want to read anything I’ve ever written?!?! But, it’s been 14 years…

  • Activities

    Storytime Theme: Big & Little

    Big & Little Storytime header

    Concept storytime themes are some of the easiest lesson plans to pull together because there are so many amazing resources available to use! Today we’re focusing on opposites, and specifically big and little things which is a simple concept, but a great one to practice with young kids, especially toddlers…