Summary: Emily Dickinson’s life story is told from beginning to end, with her poetry woven into almost every page. Her internal life is explored, how she loved books and sought answers when confronted with deaths of people near her. As she grew older, she withdrew more, focusing on her writing and only interacting with a […]
Slime Toy Sets for Scientific Kids
Kids love playing with slime! It’s a sticky, gooey, gloopy mess – and it can also be a wonderful science lesson! Slime laboratory kits can provide young scientists with (very messy) hands-on experience of a wide range of scientific principles. Through fun and safe experiments, they can learn about polymers, viscosity, density, cohesion, the scientific method, and […]
Fantastic Toy Fire Trucks for Junior Firefighters and Flaming Fun
Bright colors, howling sirens, extendable ladders, and gushing hoses… what’s not to love about fire trucks? Screeching through the city streets and bringing your little firefighters to the inferno just in time to save the day, these toys are ideal for immersive role play and teaching young kids all about the important work done by […]
Best Arduino Starter Kit Options for Young Programmers
For children and teens interested in robotics and programming, an Arduino starter kit is an excellent way to begin. What exactly is Arduino? Simply put, Arduino is an open-source platform used for building and programming electronics projects. Projects range from incredibly simple to very complicated. Arduino refers to two things. First, the actual programmable circuit […]
Giant Jenga and Other Oversized Games for Jumbo-Sized Fun
It would seem as the world and its pressures move forward at an alarming pace, families are returning to old-fashioned values and looking for ways to get more out of the time spent together and this includes playing good old yard games, like giant Jenga, chess, dominoes, 4-to-score, plus a whole lot more. Now with […]
Cool Math Games for Your Little Math Magicians
In the old days, learning math was often a hard slog. Memorizing tables, endless exercises, stressful school tests… Thankfully, the world has moved on since then! Nowadays, there are tons of cool math games for kids of all ages. Through gamified learning, they can concentrate on having fun—but also pick up key numeracy skills like […]
Ultimate Guide to Calico Critters Toys
Welcome to the cute and cuddly world of the Calico Critters! Here in Cloverleaf Corners, furry little families live in stunning townhouses, drive luxury cars, and work in shops, schools, and ice-cream parlors downtown. Rabbits, deer, mice, and more all live happily side by side in peaceful harmony. These beautifully designed toys are great for […]
Wild Symphony by Dan Brown, illustrated by Susan Batori
Published by Rodale Kids Summary: Maestro Mouse is your guide through this musical romp starring the animal kingdom. Each page includes a poem or two about the featured animal, concluding with a sign held by Maestro Mouse offering a lesson that can be derived from the poem. Sharp-eyed readers will also spot letters in each […]
Review: Grow: Secrets of Our DNA
What is DNA and how does it work? Grow: Secrets of Our DNA is a simple explanation of this scientific concept which is responsible for the growth of all living things. Written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Emily Sutton, it’s pitched at early primary aged children (although also suitable for all ages) and explores […]
Review: Who is at the Zoo?
A delight to look at and to read, this highly entertaining book turns daily situations on their head. Imaginative, humorous and creative, and with charismatic characters, everyone who opens this book will discover a magical world whose reality is limited only by their imagination. Rhyme and rhythm make it the perfect book for reading out […]
Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan
Published by Greenwillow Books Summary: A family of turtles sets off for a walk one spring morning. “Turtle walk. Nice and slow. Here we go. Are we there yet? No.” This refrain is repeated as they continue to travel through a landscape that turns into summer, fall, and then a snowy winter. On each page […]
The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story by Thao Lam
Published by Owlkids Books Summary: Thao Lam and her family escaped from Vietnam in 1980 when she was two years old. This wordless book shows her family’s journey, starting with a dinner in their Vietnam home where they’re planning their escape. The author’s note explains how, as a child, her mother used to rescue ants […]
Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
Published by Jimmy Patterson Books (Little, Brown) Summary: Round One: Cassius Clay’s friend Lucky and the rest of Cassius’s friends and family are awaiting the results of the 1958 Golden Gloves championship. 16-year-old Cassius is in Chicago, 300 miles from his home in Louisville, KY. The phone rings, and the story shifts to Cassius’s voice, […]
Review: The Map From Here To There
This coming of age novel centres on the last year of high school for Paige Hancock and her friends. Paige seems to have it all mapped out – she has a part-time job she loves at the local cinema, the perfect boyfriend in Max and her close friends. Everything seems so perfect, Paige doesn’t want […]
Review: None Shall Sleep
Emma Lewis and Travis Bell are both teenagers who have had survived encounters with serial killers. They are therefore recruited by the FBI to interview a convicted teenaged serial killer in order to gain some clues about an ongoing investigation into another serial killer, who is targeting teenagers. The jailed killer, Simon Gutmunsson, is a […]