July 2011

Learning from a Monkey: Curious George Picture Books Jul 29, 2011

Curious George is the star of a vast series of successful children's books originally written and illustrated by husband and wife team H.A. and Margret Rey. The series has found enduring popularity throughout more than seventy years as children...

Classic Read Aloud Series: The Chronicles of Narnia Jul 28, 2011

Before the current film series, 'The Chronicles of Narnia' was a widely admired fantasy book series by C.S. Lewis. The seven books in the series describe a magical world that has been adored by readers since the 1950s. In addition to the...

There's an App for Learning: Apps for Reading Help Jul 27, 2011

Support for children learning to read comes in many forms, such as books, tutors and educational DVDs. More and more applications for mobile devices, also known as apps, are adding to this field by providing interactive and adaptive reading...

Learning on the Go: Great Flash Card Apps Jul 26, 2011

While the idea of studying with paper flash cards may seem antiquated, the educational value of the flash card concept is alive and well. In the spirit of learning on the go, an impressive variety of flash card apps are available for mobile...

PBS Launches LearningMedia for the Common Core Standards Jul 25, 2011

The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) has released a free collection of over 14,000 online educational resources from a consortium of over 55 public broadcasting stations. Homeschooling parents and teachers will be excited to know that PBS...

Great Book Series for Kids: How Do Dinosaurs....? Jul 25, 2011

Beginning with 'How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?', more than a dozen 'How Do Dinosaurs??' books have delighted children with their humorous situations and whimsical artwork. With deceptive simplicity and clever rhymes, they also perform multiple...

Memorable Bedtime Books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Jul 22, 2011

Since its first publication in 1969, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle has been a treasured picture book that both delights and educates its readers. The book has been widely recognized and commended by sources as diverse as the...

Make Your Own Invisible Ink: Tips from the CIA Jul 21, 2011

The CIA recently declassified documents from World War I showing how military agents and spies used invisible ink to send secret messages. While the military stopped relying on invisible ink decades ago, it's still a great home science project....

Picture Books for Bedtime: Corduroy Jul 20, 2011

'Corduroy' is a beloved picture book that has been read to children at bedtime for decades. First published in 1968, 'Corduroy' was written and illustrated by Don Freeman. In addition being a great bedtime story, 'Corduroy' can also inspire many...

Books Before Bedtime: The Napping House Jul 19, 2011

While 'The Napping House' may sounds like a quiet story, it's actually a fun and hilarious picture book that's ideal for reading before bedtime. Audrey Wood's story, which was first published in 1984, is vividly illustrated by her husband, Don Wood.

Great Read Aloud Books: The Monster at the End of this Book Jul 18, 2011

'The Monster at the End of This Book,' which stars 'lovable, furry old Grover' from 'Sesame Street,' is a widely cherished picture book released by Golden Books in 1971. The postmodern story was written by Jon Stone and illustrated by Michael...

Read Aloud Picture Books: The Snowy Day Jul 15, 2011

First published in 1962, 'The Snowy Day' is a picture book written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats. Like his other books, 'The Snowy Day' features Keats' unique artistic style, combining collage with a painting method known as gouache. This...

Classic Read Aloud Stories: The Cat in the Hat Jul 15, 2011

One of Dr. Seuss' most widely read stories, 'The Cat in the Hat' is a classic picture book that was first published in 1957. Designed as a fun and entertaining book for early readers, 'The Cat in the Hat' has been a hugely popular read aloud...

Classic Bedtime Stories: Where the Wild Things Are Jul 12, 2011

'Where the Wild Things Are,' by Maurice Sendak, is an immensely popular bedtime story, with approximately 20 million copies sold since it was first published in 1963. The story of Max traveling to a distant land contains a message with which many...

Books to Engage Your Child: One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish Jul 11, 2011

First published in 1960, 'One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish' is a picture book by Dr. Seuss. In addition to 'Green Eggs and Ham' and 'The Cat in the Hat,' it's one of the most popular children's books written by Dr. Suess. It's also a book...

Classic Picture Books: The Little Engine That Could Jul 08, 2011

'The Little Engine That Could' is a well-loved classic picture book whose original author is unknown. Though the story dates back to the dawn of the 20th century, the most famous version was written by Arnold Munk, using the pen name Watty Piper,...

Books for New Readers: Morris the Moose Jul 08, 2011

Originally published in 1959, 'Morris the Moose' is a picture book that serves as an excellent choice for beginning readers. In addition to helping children learn to read, 'Morris the Moose' also presents a philosophical platform for discussions...

Read Aloud Stories: Roll Over! Jul 07, 2011

'Roll Over!' is based on a counting song originally written by Edith Fowke. The popular picture book version of the song is illustrated by Merle Peek. 'Roll Over!' is a good fit for reading aloud to one child or a group, whether read as a story...

In Defense of Recess Jul 06, 2011

In many schools around the country, recess is under attack. The focus of the U.S. school system on standardized testing means that the parts of the school day that don't directly and clearly improve scores are now vulnerable. Yet recess has been...

Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards: Picture Book Winners Jul 05, 2011

In addition to fiction and non-fiction books, the Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards for Excellence in Children's Literature also recognizes picture books. The 2011 winner is 'Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes' by Salley Mavor. Two...

Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards for Children's Books: Fiction Winners Jul 01, 2011

Since 1967, the Horn Book has given out the Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature. The 2011 award winner for fiction is Tim Wynne-Jones' 'Blink & Caution.' Also receiving honors in the fiction category are 'Chime'...

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