My son and I saw the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid the other day. As you know, the books are hugely popular with boys and girls of all ages. But I was leery about the movie. I pictured one of those “revenge of the nerds” types of movies, where […]
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Read the signs
Signs are great “flash cards.” The other day, I was speaking with a mom whose son is having some trouble with reading. It was recommended that he start learning “whole words.” (As opposed to phonetically sounding things out.) I’m all for the whole-word approach to learning to read. It’s a […]
Profile: Girl, 7, tomboy likes nature, video games
When you’re trying to choose books for your own child, it’s really useful to ask kids with similar interests what they like. Chances are, there’ll be some cross-over. But it’s kind of hard to find just the right kid. So we’ve got a series of Profiles (click on Reading Profiles […]
Read to your child. Every day.
It’s the single most important thing you can do to get your kid reading. Statistics show that if you read to your child, every day, even for 10 minutes – it’s likely that your child will grow up to become a reader. The New York Times recently published a heartwarming […]
Profile: Girl, 8, likes skiing and horses
Quite a charmer. Here is a girl I know quite well. She’s a fun-loving, easygoing girl who has a twin brother (with a very different, albeit nonetheless charming disposition). If you know a girl like her, check out this girl’s favourite books and maybe your girl would like them, too. […]
Great online game: Clockwords
Clockwords is an online word game I can’t stop playing. (Must. Stop. Playing… Have. Deadlines…) Here’s why it might be good for your child – in moderation, something I’m not particularly good at, so be forewarned. 1) LiteracyThe game is based on you (uh, your child, that is) coming up […]
New Twilight book
Here’s something exciting to tell your teenaged daughter. There’s going to be a new Twilight book out soon.June 5, to be precise. Here’s the title (deep breath): The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella. Author Stephenie Meyer is calling it a novella, although it’s 192 pages long. […]
Scott Pilgrim trailer
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Official Trailer This looks like a lot of fun, and I’m hoping it will be a good reading extension. It’s the movie, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, starring (the adorable) Michael Cera. It’s based on the very popular series of Scott Pilgrim books. Here’s […]
Alice movie too dark for (most) kids
As you know, I’m a big advocate of what I call reading extensions. They’re the added bonus events, movies, products and tie-ins that go beyond the book, and which may help some kids get interested in a book or explore a book more fully. Alice in WonderlandThe other night, I […]
Munsch-mania!
What rock star had people at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario lined up two-deep, for blocks? Robert Munsch, children’s literature rock star! Robert Munsch did two shows today at the Living Arts Centre, and in-between he signed books and had his picture taken with star-struck youngsters (and their […]
