Our latest thoughts and news about quality literature for kids.
By Guest Contributor Tom Matthews, InTheBook.com The simple act of reading out loud to a child has been proven to develop much more than knowledge of the topic of the book: it builds confidence with words. Together you are cultivating …
Children’s Books for Diversity Black Lives Matter. This list includes some of the transformative and inspiring African-American stories reviewed on Litkidz that celebrate Black Lives and diversity in many forms.
The Book Lover’s Guide to Children’s and Young Adult Literature by Roger Sutton and Martha Parravano, editors of the Horn Book Magazine Published 2010. What a great contribution to librarians and parents this book is. I wished I had read …
Immigration Makes US Great: Here are some wonderful children’s books to create more multicultural understanding about immigration and diversity in America. Most are historical fiction, and beautifully written. Let us celebrate all the value that open immigration has brought to the United States.
A children’s book as a holiday gift can change a young person’s life. Watch and listen to this moving testimony about books and libraries by Maya Angelou, called “A Library is a Rainbow in the Clouds” She talks about the dark …
Light Your Way – Children’s Books for the Holiday Read more »
From time to time, we are lucky enough to have a review from the intended audience, in this case a young boy, Bram, age 10. I personally have not read the series, “How to Train your Dragon.” But based on …
Recently, as the school year ended, I thought of two 9-year-old boys I work with. They are both bright, articulate, and just catching up with their reading. I created a summer reading list that might match their interests and skills. …
As the school year ended, the parents of the students going from 4th grade to 5th grade asked for some summer book recommendations. In our Waldorf school, the fourth graders generally turned 10 during the year, and in fifth grade, they …
Thanks to the librarian at my school, I recently found out about the California Young Readers Medal. It’s a fabulous way to get kids excited about the children’s books they read. At my school, each class was invited to vote for their …
This has got to be the best way to make the experience of reading special: kids reading books to cats in shelters! The article and accompanying photos say it all. As one of the boys said in the article, the …
Here are two lists of great 2013 picture books. Since I don’t review many illustrated books, this might be a helpful resource for parents of younger children. They all sound great.
Here is a really important article for all parents to read, particularly parents of young children, who may be wondering about ‘interactive books.’ The Atlantic: Effect of Reading Tablets Here’s my favorite quote from the article: “Fiction can show you …
Here’s a discovery I made about Grimm fairy tales… Even when they are rewritten by a great author, and the setting is changed, they still carry the dark, brooding energy of the original Grimm tale. For that reason, I can’t …
This is a hard blog entry to write. I made a decision not to include in my book reviews a children’s book that in some ways has fabulous potential. It’s about a young girl who finds Aladdin’s lamp, unleashes the …
Recently, two books in my library pile turned out to be children’s books I couldn’t recommend. When I examined why, I realized that now that I have read so many children’s books, I can tell a fake when I see …
I’m often asked why Litkidz.com doesn’t cover books for older children. Although I have added a 12-14 category, it is really not the focus of this website, nor are older children. There’s one main reason, and that is because by …
Recently I gave a talk at a local bookstore about the subject of selecting good children’s literature, which is basically what this website is all about. My good friend John McCormick, author of Dad, Tell Me a Story, was able …
Recently, one of my friends read The Little Princess, a recommended book on Litkidz.com, and she responded by writing, I don´t know if I will read it to any kid. It made me cry several times …. father dead and the …
Now that it’s back-to-school time, it’s a great time to remember that of all the aids to literacy, reading out loud to children is one of the best. Even 15 minutes a day can increase vocabulary, interest, and understanding, not …
This children’s book is really teaching children about the power of the mind, the power of thoughts, to shape one’s life. The teaching element is the main point of the book…
Recently, after deciding against posting three more books, a friend challenged my decision. She wanted to know why I wouldn’t put the books up on Litkidz, since other people might have different opinions about the book. I thought about her …
Here’s a great toy I discovered for teaching phonics to younger pre-school and kindergarten children. It’s a standard “letter truck” by Melissa and Doug toys. But oh, what we can do with it when teaching phonics. This activity is for …
This lovely image is for International Children’s Book Day 2013 (April 2). In my mind, there can’t be too many children’s book celebrations! The organization (IBBY) behind this celebration is committed to children’s literature as a way of promoting international …
As I read through each of the suggested books that readers have offered, I have to make an important decision: Does this book belong on the list of Literature for Children? I admit this is extremely subjective. I’ve already run …
As you can tell from this website, I’m into books, and rarely watch movies. But when I do… wow. What can I say about a movie where every 10 minutes, I find myself wiping my tears away? This documentary is …
I was delighted to come across this workshop for adults called Fostering Social, Emotional, and Cognitive Skills Through Reading. It looks wonderful, sponsored by a group I didn’t know about before, the Bay Area Discovery Museum. They are dedicated to …
So what to do when I read something, and it just doesn’t have that affect on me? There are SO many children’s books out there…
A bit late, but not too late, I discovered World Read-Aloud Day is this week, March 6. What a great idea. Check out their website for activities, including a lovely downloadable book perfect for reading outloud. Wonderful way to increase …
When I started this website, I was thinking of children’s books that would help struggling readers. For that reason, I purchased a copy of Judy Moody for a third grader I was working with. However, now that I’m in high gear …
