Tag Archives: recommended books

Check It Out: Little Treasures

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I do NOT like overly sappy books! I don’t! Usually. Until now. “Little Treasures: Endearments From Around the World” by Jacqueline Ogburn has surprisingly taken over the place of honor on my desk. This mix of sweet and silly names for little ones celebrates the unique terms of endearment from different world cultures.

Some of my favorites are:

  • docinho de coco – Portuguese for “little coconut candy”
  • xiao pie dou – Chinese- for “little mischievous pea”
  • knuddelbaerchen – German for “little huggy bear”
  • dhanaya – Arabic for “a part of my existence.” Continue reading →

Looking for Love: See a Heart, Share a Heart

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Heart shapes

It all started with spilled ice cream.  Artist Eric Telchin looked at the splatter of this mishap and saw a heart shape.  Soon he was discovering hearts everywhere and photographing the evidence. His images have been collected in the uplifting book “See a Heart, Share a Heart.”  

I stumbled upon this bright and cheerful book while straightening the children’s area, and now I am obsessed. Racing out over my lunch break, I found hearts in my foundation’s peeling paint, a gum stain on the sidewalk and the foliage. What remained of my dog’s bone was also a perfect heart, but he saw me eyeballing it and raced out to bury the treasure. Over a week later, I have an entire collection of hearts and a new way of looking at the world. Some people see a piece of trash; I see the symbol of love (a symbol I document and then deposit where it belongs). Continue reading →

Support Preschoolers’ Social and Emotional Health

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Raising socially and emotionally healthy children can be frustrating. There are times when your child is throwing a tantrum—a loud, embarrassing, scream fest of a tantrum—and you want to throw in the towel. Every parent has been there, red-faced, trying to pry a toy out of your two-year-old hoarder’s hands, or asking the boss to leave early because a child has bitten a classmate. You can’t just quit this whole parenting gig, and you really want to do what’s best to help your child grow into a kind and compassionate adult. But what the heck are you supposed to do? Your mother will have one opinion, your neighbor another.

Luckily, you can turn to the professionals. The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning has prepared practical materials for parents of preschoolers on hot topics like these. Continue reading →

Happy 50th Birthday, Amelia Bedelia!

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Does the name “Amelia Bedelia” make you chuckle? That wacky character is still taking figures of speech literally and making a giant mess. Do you have a favorite zany Amelia Bedelia mix-up?  Mine is when she was asked to plant the bulbs, and she buried boxes of light bulbs in the yard. I remember begging my mom to read “Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia” over and over, and the other titles were pretty darn good, too.

January 29th is Amelia Bedelia Day.  Celebrate this comical character’s 50th birthday by: Continue reading →

Pete the Cat Is Everywhere!

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When you look at the cracks in the sidewalk and see Pete the Cat, you know he’s a fixture in your life. Do you see him? I did!

If you haven’t heard of Pete the Cat yet, it’s Pete the Cattime to get on board. I bet your preschoolers are in the know.  Their constant requests for “those funny cat books” are my big clue. Several of Eric Litwin’s books featuring this cool cat have been hanging out on the bestseller list for months and for good reasons. They:

  • Feature catchy repetitive phrases.
  • Zero in on kids’ interests. (Who doesn’t love new shoes?)
  • Provide opportunities to show off new skills like color knowledge.
  • Model a healthy attitude about dealing with change. When life throws Pete a curve ball, does he cry? Goodness no. He finds a way to appreciate what he has. Continue reading →