As the holidays come closer, you usually cannot go wrong with gifting a child a book, as long as you pick the right one, which just might involve the bodily functions of animals. What Do They Do With All That Poo?, written by Jane Kurtz and illustrated by Allison Black, is an informational picture book […]
Deana Metzke
Deana Metzke is the literacy/social studies/library coordinator for District 186 and a mom of two. For more children's book recommendations, follow her blog at http://raisingreaders.site.
Posted inSpecial Issues
Nonfiction books that spark conversation
Honestly, as an adult, one of the reasons I enjoy reading nonfiction children’s books is not only because I can usually read them pretty quickly, but also because I learn something new almost every time, especially when I read books around historical events. When I read these types of books with or recommend them to […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
The Adventures of Abe, the $5 bill
Has your child ever asked you where money comes from? Or have you ever thought about where the money in your wallet has been or where it might be going? Well, Dr. Eli Goodman, a Springfield resident and author, has a story for you. The Adventures of Abe, the $5 Bill, illustrated by Eva Vikman, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Exploring new genres
Action movies aren’t my thing. If I have a choice of what movie to sit down and watch, you won’t see me picking an action flick. However, if my husband chooses the movie, I may be stuck with an action-packed film, and oddly enough, I often get engrossed in the movie. Recently, the same thing […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Start a holiday reading tradition
As the winter holidays approach, most families have any number of traditions they celebrate during this time. For me, when I was a child, we delivered cookies to extended family members, and we also read certain books on Christmas Eve. Now as an adult, there are no cookie deliveries for my family, but we have […]
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Helping your child read at home
The first set of school closings, stay-at-home orders and the like due to COVID-19 all came down the pipeline very quickly, without a lot of time to prepare or figure out what the next steps should be. As a result, particularly for those of us who are on social media, we started to become inundated […]
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Read like a “Jeopardy” champion
When discussing his success on the game show “Jeopardy,” recent champion James Holzhauer told The Washington Post that children’s books were a big key to his success, partly because “They are chock-full of infographics, pictures and all kinds of stuff to keep the reader engaged.” If that’s true for him, imagine how engaging they can […]
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How to give the gift of reading
Giving books as gifts to kids during the holidays is a wonderful idea, but can also be overwhelming, considering how many options there are these days. An obvious first choice is to ask the child what books he or she wants, but that’s not always an option. So, here are some things to consider, along […]
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Fantasy books for kids
Do you have a child who is into the fantasy genre, but maybe isn’t quite ready to sit down with a Harry Potter novel? Maybe a child who is inquisitive about what the future on Earth may look like? Or a child that likes a fast-paced mystery? Then I have a title for you – […]
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Graphic novels engage all readers
Graphic novels, stories presented in comic strip format, are a relatively new style of book that has taken children’s literature by storm. This style of book, while making some adults crazy (myself included, at one point), has made reading entertaining for a lot of kids who may not find their way into a book otherwise. […]
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Fractured fairy tales
Fairy tales are classic stories that generations of children have read or heard and usually stand the test of time. Recently, there’s been an increase in the number of “fractured” fairy tales published, which are altered versions of those classic stories. These can be very engaging for children of all ages, especially if they already […]
