• Last updated 4/18/13 by Melanie Mayo

By Leah Lesser   Homework. Swimming. Riding (or insert any other sport or activity). Saxophone. Friends. Family time. Dinner. Homework. Bedtime Story. Sleep. Add in there a bit of laughter, play, riding bikes with siblings, and chores, and you’ve got the makings of a very busy tween.   Does any of this sound familiar?   We’re living it. Our 11-year-old daughter can make my busiest days look fairly tame. And she doesn’t even come close to some of her friends who are taking on four or five after-school activities.   One of the things she has talked... read more

• Last updated 3/30/13 by mamazee

Well, I thought I would wait at least a month before I blogged about my ten-year-old son being dyslexic, but having just gone to see The Lightning Thief with him this weekend I feel compelled to write about it. If you haven’t seen The Lightning Thief and have a ten or older child I highly recommend it. (it’s suitable for younger, maybe age eight, but you have to know your child…there are graphic scenes with three-headed animals!). Most people are going to see it because it’s being billed as the next Harry Potter film series for kids, but to me it’s... read more

• Last updated 3/1/13 by mamazee

It's true--fathers are rare in children's books, especially when it comes to images of them taking care of kids. And why not? Moms are still the ones most likely to be changing diapers and wiping noses, and there’s no point in nursing a sense of grievance over the invisibility of fathers in children’s books. But where does that leave families who don't fit the traditional mold? And how does that help parents who want to provide caring role models to their sons? There are books out there, few and far between, that depict dads as co-parents and primary caregivers.... read more

• Last updated 3/1/13 by mamazee

When they first enter Liko’s playroom, new friends always remark upon how many books he has. Indeed, his playroom looks like the children’s nook in a small-town public library. But here’s the thing: Properly speaking, most of those books don’t belong to him—more than half belong to my wife. She’s been building a collection of children’s books since college, just because she loves them. As a result of her combination of passion and discernment, the books on our shelves range across broad swathes of time and culture, and each has some quality that sets it apart.... read more