Minecraft! Does your kid love to spend hours building worlds in the popular sandbox video game? Would you like them to peel their eyes off the screen once in a while but can’t figure out how without whining and tears? This Minecraft Magnetic Travel Puzzle is the ultimate solution and will entertain your kids without…
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Make a Friend Day Coloring Page: Celebrate Friendship!
Did you know that February 11th is Make a Friend Day? This coloring page featuring neighbors making new friends is just the activity you need to celebrate, aside from bringing your neighbors cookies, of course! Children’s book author and illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg created this Make a Friend Day coloring page exclusively for you, my…
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Growing Up: Middle Grade Fiction about Puberty
Adolescence is not the easiest stage of life, but these middle grade novels about puberty and the accompanying roller coaster of emotions will make things–if not easier–at least more entertaining. This book list is full of fiction books about puberty and the changes that come with adolescence, both emotional and physical. Adolescents of all gender…
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Mexico Dice Game: Strategy & Luck for Families!
I don’t what this dice game has to do with Mexico, but “Mexico” is what it’s called! I’ve seen it called “Mexican Dice Game” and referred to as either a gambling or a drinking game, often played in bars. But hey, there’s no reason to steer clear of our family-friendly version of the Mexico dice…
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Children’s Books for 9-13 Year Olds that Address Mental Illness
Mental illness, although slowly becoming a more acceptable topic, is still stigmatized. In the United States almost 1 in 5 people live with some form of mental illness (source) so you can imagine how many children either struggle themselves, or have a parent suffering from mental illness. That’s why this list of middle grade novels…
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Robin Hood Books and Retellings
Do your kids love historic tales of heroes and daring outlaws fighting against tyranny? This list of Robin Hood books will fuel their passion for stories of heroism and the rise of the common man in the face of injustice. Just like my list of King Arthur books, this collection of stories features traditional recitations…
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Picaria: 3-in-a-Row Game from the American Southwest
You can find numerous examples of traditional 3-in-a-row games in different cultures around the world. Modern children in the west will be most familiar with tic-tac-toe but PICARIA is an entertaining version of a 3-in-a-row game that originated in indigenous communities living in the geographical area known as the American Southwest. As with similar 3-in-a-row…
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Joyful Musician Coloring Page
How about we start the year off with a joyful musician coloring page! Melanie Hope Greenberg’s newest contribution to our monthly coloring page series will put a huge smile on your face. Under a rainbow, children dance and play instruments, clearly relishing the experience. This coloring page featuring musicians playing drums, the fiddle, a trumpet…
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Metafiction in Children’s Books
I love children’s books that surprise and challenge readers. Books that make their readers think about the very act of reading with the art of metafiction may indeed may be my very favorite. The more you look, the more you will find great examples of metafictional writing in children’s books. A metafictional text is one…
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Unplug with Picture Books about Screen-Free Play
It’s virtually impossible to be totally screen-free these days, although parents can take steps to keep screen use under control. I’ve yet to meet a parent who says, “I wish Junior spent more time playing Fortnite than he spends outdoors!” Ha! One way to share the joys of putting down the iPad is by reading…
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