Picture Books

Mama’s Magic: Poetry Tea Time
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Mama’s Magic: Poetry Tea Time

One of our very favorite activities, that we don’t do enough of, is Poetry Tea Time. Poetry Tea Time is a wonderful way to slow down, enjoy time together without being focused on academics while still learning. It is exactly what it sounds like: a drink, a snack and, of course, picture books. It has…

Book Exploration: Roget and His Thesaurus, Just the Right Word
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Book Exploration: Roget and His Thesaurus, Just the Right Word

Today is Peter Mark Roget’s birthday! He loved words, and he loved lists, so much so that his love changed the English language! The history of the first thesaurus and its author is quite fascinating! It took a man with a love for precision and with a desire to use just the right word for…

Hot Off the Press! February Booklists are Here!
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Hot Off the Press! February Booklists are Here!

How is it already mid-January? Wasn’t Christmas just yesterday?I am so excited about the picture book line up for February! What a beautiful month, so rich and full of fascinating stories! But before we jump into that, I’d like to revisit a few things with you first since we have so many new people with…

The Scientific Method: A Life Skill
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The Scientific Method: A Life Skill

The scientific method is an essential life skill in our children’s tool belt. As moms we wear many, many hats, and scientist is definitely one of them, therefore it is important for our children to develop this life skill as well. Let’s explore this wonderful skill, whose big name is just that, a big name….

Living the Liturgical Year Well: New Year to the Baptism of Our Lord
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Living the Liturgical Year Well: New Year to the Baptism of Our Lord

Happy New Year! As Anne would say: “isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” It is the same for this new year! It has no mistakes in it yet! How truly refreshing and enticing. Let’s lay the foundation for our best year yet! At the…

Picture Book Exploration: The Night of Las Posadas, by Tomie dePaola
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Picture Book Exploration: The Night of Las Posadas, by Tomie dePaola

The Night of Las Posadas is one of our favorite Christmas picture books that we have turned into a tradition. We read it every year, on December 16th. We love the beautiful story of the miracle that might have taken place on a snowy December 16th near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Tradition This is a…

A Feast of Books: Saint Nicholas and Jolabokaflod
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A Feast of Books: Saint Nicholas and Jolabokaflod

Jolabokaflod is a wonderful Icelandic tradition has recently made a grand entrance in our American literary world. The tradition is to give others books on Christmas Eve and to spend the evening reading, sipping hot cocoa and munching on cookies. Our Christmas Eve is too crazy for that, therefore we have started doing this on…

The Nutcracker, the Sugar Plum Fairy
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A Timeless Tale of Magic and Love: The Nutcracker

Every fall, they start popping up in craft and home decor stores, they are collected by many and embraced by all. What are they? Nutcrackers, of course! Everyone knows and can hum the tune of the famous ballet. Many of our little girls have had at least one experience of being on stage as a…