May 8, 2025 By Maria This post is not quite about children’s literature, but more about finding books in odd places. While almost a hundred years old, our home has history and charm with lots of work and sometimes surprises. In one unfinished attic space between two rooms, an abandoned box of books was leftContinue reading “Mystery Books in the Attic”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
The Irish Magic of Tomie dePaola
March 18, 2025 By Maria St. Patrick’s day snuck up on me this year. In a busy blur we managed to pick up buttermilk over the weekend and yesterday afternoon, my daughter and I, up to our elbows in flour, kneaded and baked Irish soda bread. We started the day by reading Tomie dePaola’s St.Continue reading “The Irish Magic of Tomie dePaola”
Scales and Scones
December 12, 2024 By Maria On my way out of the library, I always check for a new edition of the free Bookpage magazine. This magazine promotes newly published books. I usually flip through it a few times and then write the books that interest me on an ongoing list. I will either look forContinue reading “Scales and Scones”
The Sensitive Search for Joy
October 24, 2024 By Maria Disclosure: Some links found here are affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase using one of these links, I will receive a small compensation with no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! We are almost two months into the school year. It feels likeContinue reading “The Sensitive Search for Joy”
Stories and Mooncakes: The Lady in the Moon
October 7, 2024 By Maria Here I am continuing my Mid-Autumn Festival short series. As I described in my previous post, the Mid-Autumn Festival is an Asian harvest holiday of family togetherness. The books I write about here center on the myths surrounding the festival. In Chinese Mid-Autumn celebrations, the myth of Chang’e and HouContinue reading “Stories and Mooncakes: The Lady in the Moon”
Ninja Tales and the Imagination
November 7, 2021 By Maria A shadow sweeps silently down the hall. Tiny, quiet feet tiptoe down the stairs; their presence is only revealed by the second to last step’s distinctive creak. The ninja waits, but after a few seconds of stillness, he restarts his quest. The silent warrior continues on his way to theContinue reading “Ninja Tales and the Imagination”
Snailish Summer Reads
July 23, 2021 By Maria Are you feeling sluggish, or should I say snailish, in the summer heat? I, for one, have been feeling the lethargy of heat and humidity and the slower, more open schedule of the summer. What I really want to do is bury myself in a book and curl up, preferably inContinue reading “Snailish Summer Reads”
Why Picture Books?
May 19, 2012 By Maria I love picture books. I have many fond childhood memories that revolve around picture books and being read to by my parents. Those stories became a huge part of my imaginative canvas as a child and I see the same thing happening in my kids. Picture books are such aContinue reading “Why Picture Books?”
Snow
March 14, 2021 By Maria Snow. Something everyone loves or at least appreciates the beauty of even with the inconvenience it brings and the back breaking shoveling it can involve. Who loves snow most? Well, kids of course! And who loves reading about snow? Everyone. . . or at least I hope. Personally, I findContinue reading “Snow”
More Bookshelves Please 