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Kids Need a Sense of History

As far as my kids are concerned, the 1980’s are the dark ages—anything that happened before their memories kicked in might as well be a fairy tale. But, as my kids approach voting age, the age of consent, and dip their toes into the land of adulthood, I realize how imperative it is that they get a grasp on what has gone before. I understand that passion for the “now” is one of the blessings of the young—but I also think that a sense of history is an important part of developing a perspective. I happened to walk in on … Continue reading →

Children’s Literature – Stories of Acceptance for Toddlers and Preschoolers

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Odd Velvet By Mary E Whitcomb Illustrated by Tara Calahan King Chronicle Books, 1998 I feel a deep sense of connection to Velvet, the title character of this story of acceptance and uniqueness by Mary E. Whitcomb. I was (and still am) a bit of an odd ball. Like Velvet, I never felt a strong connection to the masses, although, also like Velvet, I never seemed to be too bothered by this fact. Odd Velvet is a modernly illustrated and charming tale representing a childhood utopia, of sorts. Certainly we who are oddballs ourselves, or are parents of oddballs, would … 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 →

When I Was Young in the Mountains – Cynthia Rylant

The picture book When I Was Young in the Mountains was a Caldecott Honor book in 1984. The book is a story based on author Cynthia Rylant’s own childhood in Appalachia living her grandparents and other relatives in Cool Ridge, West Virginia. The illustrations by Diane Goode have an old-fashioned feel as this loving family of grandparents and grandchildren go about their daily lives. Almost every page begins with the words “When I was young in the mountains”. The repetition gives the book a nice oral tradition storytelling kind of feel. This book is great early history about the pleasures … Continue reading →

Week in Review – Family Fun – May 20th – 27th

Summer is here! Come over to the Family Fun section for water play, books for summer reading, ideas for parties and picnics, and even things to do while bored. Lauri started off the week with an End of the School Year Party. In Breaking out the Baby books, Jeff shared how his family treasures reading and the wonderful memories books his family has from different stages of childhood. He follows with some marvelous sounding books and ways to share history with children in Children’s Literature – American History for Kids. He adds two more stories to our lists in Animal … Continue reading →