At their very best, picture books are capable of instilling in the reader a certain kind of warmth, and in the listener, a not-insignificant amount of joy. That is the aim, I think, for most all of them. Well, the ones not trying to cash in on the success of […]
The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline K. Ogburn Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman A heartwarming tale of a sly, cantankerous old ghost, a fiery young female baker (an African-American one at that!), a few authentic Italian cannolis, some puff pastry, and a bit of marzipan, that may pull out a few […]
Ivy and Bean Make the Rules (Book 9) by Annie Barrows + Sophie Blackall Maybe it is because my girls are older than when we first read Book 8 (and, naturally, the previous seven) and, therefore, understand the social/sisterly dynamic of Ivy & Bean more than they ever could before. […]
If your family is anything like mine, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure has dominated your gaming system over the past 12 months. Now, the magic dragon & his heroic pals will aim to take over your bookshelf. Okay, ‘take over’ is a bit strong at this point (only 3 book titles have […]
While it doesn’t pervade every morsel of my writing on OWTK, I make it no secret here: I dislike capital P princess culture. A lot. So when I heard of a three book series based on, or at least incorporating, the princess big 4 (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel), […]
What do I get for being early? An extra long wait, that’s what. And me doesn’t like any waits, let alone those of the elongated variety. Yet there we were, in the lobby of the dentist at 5:50pm for dual 6:00pm appointments. While we waited, until 6:25pm I should add […]
Legendary children’s author & illustrator Maurice Sendak has died. As a hopeful kid’s book author myself and as a fan of the outlandish in what we read together as a family, a hearty thank you from me to you, Mr. Sendak. You pushed boundaries and shattered expectations with your work […]
It’ll help if you and/or your kids have or have had a memorable grandpa and/or if you and/or your kids have or have had a meaningful relationship with a feline. If one or more of those scenarios are true then you and your kids are going to fall right in love […]
