Reading in 2021

So last year I outlined 30 books I wanted to read in 2020….I was working my way through when, like many of you, COVID turned our lives upside down. While I ended up reading 91 books in 2020, only 14 of them were from that original TBR list! Some of it was library queue madness, either all holds came in at the same time and I had to return them before I got to them. Other times I got distracted by new releases or other books floating around the bookstagram ether. In looking back on my 2020 TBR, I nailed the Middle Grade/YA section and On the Lighter Side, did okay on the Fiction front and found myself woefully lagging in Nonfiction. I know this was due to the fact that for months on end I was consuming nonfiction in the form of news, articles, blog posts and my brain had zero free space to take in more facts. However, I’m not letting myself use that as an excuse for 2021. Less op-eds, more books! So you’ll see some of the below as repeats from my 2020 tbr, while others are new to the list. If you follow me on IG you’ll note that I’ve already begun or finished some of these but here’s to the next 11 months of reading! Let me know what’s on your 2021 list!

NONFICTION

An Indigenous People's History of the United States: I’ve wanted to read this one since it came out in 2015 and I started it in 2020 but had to give it back before I finished. 2021 will be the year!

Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents: This one seems destined to be required reading and I’m sad that is has to be so, but looking forward to digger deeper into institutional racism by this Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

Dare to Inspire: Sustain the Fire of Inspiration in Work and Life: My friend Allison Holzer is one of the co-authors and she’s been on the forefront of the positive psychology movement and for years has focused on inspiration as it relates to the personal and corporate world. I got halfway through it and then COVID hit and it’s time to tap back into our inspirational sources!

Saints and Scoundrels: The title alone has me intrigued, and thankful for abounding grace!

Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health: I don’t love the sub-title but I am a big believer that we think about does affect us emotionally as well as physically. Looking forward to delving further into this topic.

The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth and Power: I only recently heard about this one but it seems to combine political science, history, geography and anthropology which has to be my favorite mix.

Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path: It’s been a while since I’ve read a book on creativity, specifically as it relates to writing, so I’m particularly excited for this one.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times: Well that title just says it all, wink.

FICTION

America for Beginners: A Novel: The US through the eyes of an Indian widow and her tour guide. I’ve heard it’s poignant and humorous at the same time which often makes for a stellar combination.

I’d GIve Anything: This is book 4 in the “Love Walked In” series and I love Marisa de Los Santos so am eager for this one.

Little Bee This is from my unread shelf which actually is rather sparse since most of my books come from the library! But a friend gave me this one in 2015 and it’s time to dust it off the shelf and just read it!

Middlemarch: Bookwork Baggins is hosting a buddy read for this classic…I’ve never read it, super intimidated but oddly excited. Join us?

The Bear and the Nightingale: Fantasy honestly isn’t my genre, but I’ve been hearing rave reviews about it and it seems like the perfect hygge winter read so here we go!

The Four Winds: Kristin Hannah has become an author that I’ll just automatically read her next one. Highly anticipating this one set during the Great Depression.

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue: Another one that doesn’t seem to be part of my typical genre but many trusted fellow bookworms have positively reviewed it so I’m willing to venture out of my comfort zone and give it a shot.

The Lost Letter: Inspired by actual resistance workers during WWII in Austria. I read it is a must-read if you loved Lilac Girls, which I did, so adding it the list.

The Lovely War: Just went you think you’ve read every angle of WWII, here comes the version with the Greek mythology twist. I’m intrigued.

The Water Dancer: About a 19th century slave with a mysterious power; I’ve heard it described as bold and ambitious with a touch of magical realism and now I’m eager to see for myself.

There There: Apparently this one follows 12 stories from various Native communities. Last year I made a conscious effort to read more indigenous ‘own voices’ and I’m really looking forward to this one.

This is Chance! The Shaking of an All-American City and the Voice that Held It Together: About a town in Alaska in the 1960s that is met by tragedy and the radio reporter that keeps it together.

Memoir

Between the World and Me: This is apparently based on letters that Ta-Nehisi Coates writes to his teenage son, it’s apparently very powerful and already a must-read.

Braving It! A Father, A Daughter and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild: It’s interesting to have two books about Alaska in my list but it shows the timeless pull that we have to the last great frontier.

Eat a Peach: I love food writing. I love David Chang. Cannot wait for this one.

Notes from a Young Black Chef: It takes some hubris to write a memoir at age 29 but it seems like Chef Onwuachi has already lived about 9 lives so I’m eager to learn more.

Places and Names: On War, Revolution and Returning: Author Elliot Ackerman was a fellow student at Tufts and a student in a class I taught (yes, one has the option to teach a course at Tufts Ex College as a junior or senior) on political oppression. He’s now a decorated war veteran and an amazing writer. If you haven’t read him yet, start with Waiting For Eden.

Middle Grade/YA

Just Like That: I’m at the point where I will read anything by Gary Schmidt. NOT looking forward to what I’m hearing about, the death of a beloved character from a previous novel. Seems like I may have to find out for myself. Sigh.

Save Me a Seat: Multicultural middle grade friendship. Eagerly previewing this one for my boys.

The Three Keys: The follow up to Yang’s ‘Front Desk’ which I loved. Plucky daughter of motel owners, Mia Tang, steals your heart! And now I hear a third is in the works. WOOT.

The Unadoptables: Describes as Hans Christian Andersen and Neil Gaiman. Yes please.

On the Lighter Side

Beach Read: A romance writer and a literary author battle it out on the pages, and in real life. This seems like a fun one that I’m tucking away for my next road trip.


Picture Book Advent (or Christmas Countdown!)

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If you’ve been here for a while, you’ll know that one of my favorite Advent traditions is a picture book countdown. It’s as simple as it sounds, you just wrap up 25 books (or a few more depending on when Advent begins-this year we’ll wrap 27) and they make a fun addition under the tree…and a special time to unwrap each book and read your way to Christmas! Our children are now ages 6-11 which is prime picture book territory if you ask me, but these can honestly be enjoyed at any age (illustrations go a long way, even with a 3 year old!). In sharing what we are reading this year for our Book Advent, my hope is that you are reminded of some old favorites or are excited to try a new one this year.  Each year there are some that I keep the same, others I rotate every other year or so. I have listed them alphabetically by author here as I don’t do them in a particular order-most years I’m bound by library return dates-you honestly don’t need to own 25+ holiday themed book-but I can see how people begin to collect them!

Happy Reading and Merry Christmas!

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree

Written and illustrated by Robert Barry

First published in 1963, this one has a fabulous vintage and timeless feel. My crew loves the rhyming text and seeing the too-tall Christmas tree being ‘recycled’ around and around.  

Refuge: The Timeless Story of Christmas

Author: Anne Booth

Illustrator: Samuel Usher
A perfect read for a Sunday Advent afternoon...not your typical take on the Nativity...Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees finding peace and joy and refuge in the kindness of strangers in Egypt. Loved Anne Booth’s tender words and Sam Usher’s stark yet powerfully warm illustrations. A large portion of sales from this book went to the charity, War Child. With global migration continuing to be so harrowing, it’s a short but powerful read to remind us that Jesus also sought refuge. 

Snow Globe Wishes

Author: Erin Dealey

Illustrator: Claire Shorrock

Oh I just love the diverse illustrations depicting a wintry evening that starts off with cars and folks rushing home in a snowstorm, and ends with blanket forts, dinner by candlelight, hot cocoa and a new morning full of fresh snow. This is a great one to usher in the season and holiday spirit. Christmas isn’t mentioned per se although you do see trees decorated in the background so it would be great for inter-faith families or as ‘crossover’ holiday book.

Cranberry Christmas

Author: Wende Devlin

Illustrator: Harry Devlin

We love the Cranberry books and my kids are smitten by the antics of Mr. Whiskers. And doesn’t everyone want to live in Cranberryport, where cranberry bogs abound, as well as solving Christmas capers, and one has fresh clam chowder and hit spiced cider along with cranberry cookies for Christmas dinner. Sigh.  

 Finding Christmas

Author: Lezlie Evans

Illustrator: Yee Von Chan

We love this sweet forest friends read about Mouse, Hare and Squirrel who stop their busy holiday decorating to help a sick swallow found in the snow.  The perfect read to illustrate how ‘presence’ is often the best present.

The Wish Books (The Christmas Wish, Reindeer Wish, The Polar Bear Wish)

Author: Lori Evert

Photography: Per Breiehagen

The photographs by Lori Evert and husband Per Breiehagen of their daughter Anja frolicking around Norway with reindeer, polar bears and puppies are nothing short of stunning! They are timeless and perfect for adults too! 

The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story

Author: Kallie George

Illustrator: Stephanie Graegin

Bird, Rabbit, Deer and Squirrel unexpectedly end up delivering a present for Santa…and the vague note “for the baby at the farm” may not be the hint for your young listener as it is for you, so it makes for a sweet surprise at the end! This is a great preschool and early elementary read.

The Story of Holly and Ivy

Author: Rumer Godden

Illustrator: Barbara Cooney       

A sweet vintage Christmas read centered around a young orphaned girl and her wish for a doll, family and home. Slightly on the longer side, slightly heart-breaking, but tender and classic.

Little Red Sleigh

Author: Erin Guendelsberger

Illustrator: Elizaveta Tretyakova

This is a new-to-us one and I’m excited to surprise the kids with it! A plucky red sleigh determined to prove herself worthy of Santa’s Christmas Eve night ride, it has undertones of the Little Engine that Could and Polar Express as well. A sweet inspiration story with illustrations that evoke all the cozy winter feels, it’s a great picture book for the 5 and up crowd that are ready for a longer read.

Mistletoe: A Christmas Story

Written and illustration by Tad Hills

I love that Hills came out with another Christmas picture book as when my kids were tinies, the book Duck and Goose It’s Time for Christmas unleashed a Christmas fervor that had no bounds. I’m so glad that we’re back with this author/illustrator, with a heartwarming Christmas story about an unlikely friendship between a mouse and an elephant.

The Little Reindeer

Written and illustrated by Nicola Killen
A little girl named Ollie, a lost reindeer and sweetly soft illustrations rendered in grays, browns and reds? Swoon. I love picture books that don’t overdo it on the “Santa!” front and this one offers up the magic of Christmas, from the quiet of the woods on a wintry evening.

Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story

Author: Sally Lloyd-Jones

Illustrator: Alison Jay
"And high above a single star set in the highest heavens shone out brighter than all the others and poured down silver onto the little shed..." --Song of the Stars.  No one does Advent reading better than Sally Lloyd Jones. We bought this one when my second son, Rock, was born in 2011 and it remains a family favorite. The words are so meaningful and lyrical and the speckled egg illustrations by Alison Jay are a treat for any age. I’ve done this one both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day morning.

The Christmas Promise

Author: Alison Mitchell

Illustrator: Catalina Echeverri

I love the entire Tales that Tell the Truth series…and this one is all about the faith based part of Christmas and the promise that is fulfilled at this time in the form of a very tiny king.

Little Mole’s Christmas Gift

Author: Glenys Nellist

Illustrator: Sally Garland

Little Mole is back and this time he’s on the search for the perfect Christmas gift for his mama. When he ends up sharing the most beautiful mushroom he’s ever found with friends in need along the way, he doesn’t have much left over for mama, but he learns that size need not matter, especially at Christmas.  A tender reminder for those at any age that generosity knows no bounds.

Twas the Evening of Christmas

Author: Glenys Nellist

Illustrator: Elena Selivanova

We love the classic ‘Night Before Christmas’ poem but this new twist based on the Nativity is also so sweet and perfect for Christmas Eve. For those in the 5 and under set, also check out Glenys Nellist’ book: Good News! It’s Christmas

Apple Tree Christmas

Written and illustrated by Trinka Hakes Noble
A sweet story that takes places in the 1880s about a family, the Ansterburgs, that love an old apple tree that has stood by their barn for years. When an ice storm takes down the tree just days before Christmas, one of the daughters, Katrina, struggles to be happy without her beloved tree. I won't give away the ending but it's a simple, sweet story...and the illustrations reminded me so much of our little village here in Michigan; I was delighted to see that the author grew up on a small farm in rural southern Michigan! 

The Nutcracker

Written by the NYC Ballet, illustrated by Valeria Docampo

Whether or not your kids have listened to the Nutcracker or not, this one is a lovely version.  There are so many versions on the market, but I do think that the illustrations by fellow Argentine Valeria Docampo are just exquisite in this one!

An Orange for Frankie

Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco
This one is a seasonal favorite, it's a bit longer for a one day read aloud (I tend to break it up into two days), it's a heartwarming story that mine love revisiting. And I love that Patricia Polacco grew up in both California and Michigan. As the author and illustrator, she does such a wonderful job depicting the life of a family of 9 in Michigan during the Depression area. And this one is about Frankie, who was her grandmother's youngest brother who didn't live much past his childhood, so it's quite poignant on several levels. 

One Christmas Wish

Author: Katherine Rundell

Illustrator: Emily Sutton
I love a slightly longer picture book. They allow for more time snuggling on the couch and a deeper investment into the story. At around 60 pages (but many are full color spread illustrations), this was a magical story involving a boy’s Christmas Eve adventure with a rocking horse, an angel, a tin soldier and a robin. We read it in one sitting and my entire crew loved it!

Nativity

Written and illustrated by Cynthia Rylant
A perfect read for the first Advent Sunday. Cynthia Rylant is one of my favorite children’s authors, mainly due to her wonderful range. It’s not uncommon for my kids to say “she also wrote that?!”. ‘Nativity’ is one of her more simpler ones; the text is adapted from chapter five of Matthew and from chapters two and six of the book of Luke. All kids loved it and the illustrations are acrylic on water paint and are so innocently simple. It is the nativity story stripped down to its purest. 

I Got the Christmas Spirit

Author: Connie Schofield-Morrison

Illustrator: Frank Morrison

This is the sweetest book to get you into the Christmas spirit but also to remind you that the spirit of giving can last all year long. Perfect for ages 3-6. 

The Christmas Coat: Memories of my Sioux Childhood

Author: Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

Illustrator: Ellen Beier
We love hearing Christmas stories that are outside of the traditional European/North American canon. While this one indeed takes place in the US, it focuses on members of the Sioux tribe, particularly a family growing up on a reservation in the Dakotas. Virginia is the daughter of the tribe's Episcopalian priest, and while her family is still quite poor, they are better off than others. Each Christmas children of their church await "Theast" boxes, boxes of used clothes and toys sent by churches in New England (i.e. 'The East'). Being that these are some of the only Christmas presents that the children will receive, they eagerly await them. What struck my kids most was that they were not just "wants" that the kids are looking forward to, but true "needs" (we talk a lot about 'wants' vs 'needs' in our house), such as boots and coats to help get through the cold Dakota winters. And the cultural anthropologist in me particularly loved the description of the live nativity that the church holds, where the three wise men are wearing headdresses that only the elders of the tribe get to wear. Author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve based this picture book on the events in her own childhood as she grew up on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. The text is longer than most so I'd recommend for age 6 and up.

Dasher

Written and illustrated by Matt Tavares

I met the author/illustrator a few years ago at a writing conference and was so intrigued by his telling of the new picture book he had coming out, about a circus reindeer who longs for something more and becomes the cornerstone of Santa’s sleigh.  A great one about Christmas wishes coming true!

Home by Another Way

Author: Barbara Brown Taylor

Illustrator: Melanie Cataldo
I love Barbara Brown Taylor’s writing for adults so I was thrilled to see that she had a picture book out and this one about the Nativity told from the point or view of the wise men is exquisite! Great for ages 7 and up. 

Pick a Pine Tree

Author: Patricia Toht

Illustrator: Jarvis

Another one that is fabulous for ‘setting the stage’ for holiday traditions such as going to get your Christmas tree!  Love how the book focuses as much on the anticipation of getting a tree as the act itself.

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Author: Lori Walburg

Illustrator: Richard Cowdrey

A sweet faith-based interpretation of what the candy cane represents. And my kids love the Willy Wonka-ish appeal of Mr. Sonneman’s candy store.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

Author: Susan Wojciechowski

Illustrator: P.J. Lynch

This one starts off with an admittedly sad premise: a man, Jonathan Toomey, loses his wife and child at birth and moves to a new town where he quickly becomes the local hermit. Yet it is a spectacular read, somewhat of a slow burn, and I like it more each year.  Toomey is a woodcarver and he encounters a young boy who wants to be apprenticed by him only to find out that a special relationship develops; it's a fun one to pair with any sort of crèche/manger play if you have one out. And the ending is so lovely, you see Toomey's transformation by the Gospel unfold before your eyes...and the illustrations​ by P.J. Lynch​ are vivid and tender. It's a fabulous one for Christmas Eve or just before. I'd recommend it for ages 5 and up although several years ago my 3 year old sat rapt through the entire thing. 

Franklin and Winston: A Christmas That Changed the World

Author: Douglas Wood

Illustrator: Barry Moser

World War 2 isn’t normally a topic I’d bring up this time of year but my boys love it. It’s a picture book but is quite text-heavy, and of course, the content will lead to LOTS of questions so reader, take note. I’d recommend it for ages 6 & up. It focuses on Churchill’s visit to the White House in 1941, which also took place over Christmas. While Roosevelt and Churchill had developed a strong relationship over telegraph and telephone wires, it was this visit that truly cemented their friendship as well as their Allied alliance. My boys are at the age where they are fascinated by the “world wars” so while I had a bit of cognitive dissonance reading this one with Christmas music in the background, it was not lost on me that I wouldn’t have this freedom to do so if others hadn’t had the courage to go before and fight for this freedom. And what a Christmas gift indeed.

Longer Family Read-Alouds

(note: these are great for ages 5 and up, more mature themes but such timeless and poignant reads)

 A Certain Small Shepherd

Rebecca Caudill

This is a beautiful story about a little Appalachian boy, born mute, who speaks for the first time ever to some very special visitors.  It’s around 50 pages so you could do it in one sitting or over the course of a few days.

A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens (we used the version illustrated by Robert Ingpen)

Most of you know this timeless story and depending on the fear factor of your children, they may not be ready for the “ghosts” of Christmas past, present and future. We had seen the play twice in our local children’s theatre so I felt comfortable reading this but it didn’t keep the attention of our 4 year old at the time (the boys were 7 and 9 and slightly spooked at times, but they knew the storyline and how it ended so it was okay). I’ll probably wait a few more years before doing it again, but it is one of my husbands and I’s favorite so I’m glad we finally got a copy for our shelf!  

A Tree for Peter

Kate Seredy

This modern Christmas miracle story was a bit of a tear-jerker for us!  One of my son’s didn’t care for it given some of the stark sadness in it, but my other one was smitten.  I plan to do this one again in a few years when my daughter is a bit older.

Joy to the World: Christmas Stories from Around the Globe

Stories retold by Saviour Pirotta, illustrated by Sheila Moxley

Sometimes I think the trickiest part of Advent is conveying to the kids the global narrative of it all...that this isn't just a time for Christmas in Michigan, nor the USA although many of our traditions are indeed local. But that the narrative is global...that it goes back thousands of years and that the Nativity story has been folded into cultural tropes worldwide. So this is a fabulous read to learn more about other cultures celebrating the same religion.  This book includes five short stories: "The Brave Little Camel" (Syria), "Baby in the Bread" (Malta), "Flowers for Jesus" (Mexico), "The Gourd of Plenty" (Ghana), & "Babushka" (Russia). Each story is about 4/5 pages long so it’s a great to read over the course of a week. A great multicultural Christmas read.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Barbara Robinson

One of my own childhood favorites, it reminded me that it’s some of the most humorous, and most poignant, Christmas writing. We’ve read this one now twice in the past few years and both times it’s been a huge hit. And Hey! Unto YOU a child is born! 

The Family Under the Bridge

Natalie Savage Carlson, illustrated by Garth Williams

This won the Newbery and one can see why! Cranky homeless Armand lives on the streets of Paris and is doing just fine until a struggling mother and her three children come into his life.  It took a while for my kids to be okay with hearing about people who honestly don’t have a home, but once they got into the story, they were spell bound and didn’t want it to end!

The True Gift

Patricia MacLachlan and Brian Floca

This was a sweet story of brother and sister Lily and Liam who always spent the holidays at their grandparents first.  However, when an unexpected event occurs, they learn the meaning of a true gift. A short chapter book with a few pencil sketches that makes for a good beginner-type family read aloud.  

Family Devotionals 

These are for the families that celebrate the entire season of Advent as part of their faith tradition. We’ve done all of these in prior years, mostly in the evenings and are separate from chapter read alouds.

The Advent Book

Jack and Kathy Stockman

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift

Ann VosKamp

Jotham’s Journey

Arnold Ytreeide

Bartholomew’s Passage: A Family Story for Advent

Arnold Ytreeide

Tabitha’s Travels

Arnold Ytreeide

Please do tag @livingbythepagewithnatalie or use the hashtag #livingbythepage_christmas as I’d love a glimpse of your Book Advent as well!

Behind the Scenes with Little Mole

I'm so pleased to share an interview with author Glenys Nellist and illustrator Sally Garland, regarding their latest collaboration, Little Mole's Christmas Gift. A book release is always a treat, especially right around the holidays, and I appreciate them taking a minute to share some thoughts behind the heart and inspiration of Little Mole!

Natalie: Tell us Glenys, what was your inspiration for the character of Little Mole?

Glenys: We first met Little Mole in Little Mole Finds Hope, which was released in the spring. The inspiration for his character came from my desire to write a book exploring the idea that hope can be found, even in the darkest place. I needed to feature an animal who lived, literally and figuratively, in the dark, and who could emerge into the light to discover hope and new life. A mole seemed like a natural solution, and everyone's favorite rodent was born. In the second title, Little Mole's Christmas Gift, Little Mole is in a much happier place, and he is seen taking the initiative as he finds a lovely big mushroom for Mama. But on his way back to the burrow, he encounters several animals in need. Little Mole has a big decision to make.. should he share his mushroom or save it for Mama? This story was an opportunity for Little Mole to shine, to demonstrate his compassionate, generous nature and to learn that the best gifts, such as kindness, are sometimes those that can't be wrapped.

Natalie: There is a tender theme of generous giving in the book. How did you experience Christmas in this way yourself, either when you were younger or even more recently?

Glenys: I grew up in England, one of eight children. When I was young my parents were not very well-off and we never had big gifts at Christmas. But that didn't matter. Christmas was absolutely magical to me... my dad would take us upstairs on Christmas Eve where we would all press our noses to the window in the dark to look out for Father Christmas's light. (We never referred to him as Santa!) We lived on a hill overlooking a town and there were always a million twinkling lights in the sky. It was easy to imagine that one of them was Santa's sleigh and we'd all jump into bed, anxious for the morning, when we would find our variously colored socks dangling from the fireplace, bulging with small gifts. In this way, my mind is filled with Christmas memories of growing up in a family where generosity, fun and family experiences were the best gifts of all.

More recently, I remember several years ago when my daughter was a church custodian. It was Mother’s Day, and she couldn’t afford to buy me a gift. So instead, she sat in the sanctuary after everyone else had gone home and sang my favorite hymn (Grace Alone) as she thought about me. I’ve never forgotten that gift. It meant the world to me. In Little Mole’s Christmas Gift, Little Mole discovers that his kindness is the best, most wonderful gift his mama could ever receive—just like my daughter’s little gift was precious to me.

Natalie: Sally, this is the second book in the Little Mole series that you have illustrated. What attracted you to Little Mole and how did you decide how to portray him?

Sally: Little Mole was very easy to imagine and I think this is a testament to Glenys’s good writing. He is very much 'a little mole with a soul' and you have a real sense of that in both stories. When I first started drawing him, his thoughtful little character emerged quickly and I could imagine him wandering through a woody, snowy landscape similar to where I grew up in the North East of Scotland. It struck me later when I saw Glenys’s instagram page and her photos of snowy woods near where she stays; how it looked so like the woods where I grew up. I can almost imagine little mole following her through those woods. See below for photos of the sketches.

Natalie: Sally, Can you describe your process as an illustrator?

Sally: I draw using soft graphite pencils initially so the basic structure and layout of the illustration is rendered by hand. I then scan and work on those drawings digitally to create lots of layers of texture and colour. Illustrating a picture book is a well worn process of first roughing out thumbnails, then submitting full pencil drawings, before finally moving on to colour. It is very much a collaborative process between author, publisher and illustrator.

Natalie: Do you have a favorite illustration in the book?

Glenys: I adore ALL Sally's illustrations, but if I had to pick one, I might choose the scene where Little Mole is dragging his massive mushroom back through the snow to his burrow and as he does, he's imagining how his lovely big gift for Mama is going to look when it's wrapped up. I love this image because I think it's something we can all identify with. We've all been in the position of choosing a really special gift, and imagining the surprise and delight of our loved ones on Christmas morning when they open it. This illustration makes the very small gift depicted at the end of the book all the more poignant.

Sally: My favourite illustration is the second spread in the book depicting when little Mole first sees his Mummy’s Christmas gift. You have the feeling his good idea is a bit bigger than him and he’s maybe bitten off far more than he can chew.

Natalie: 2020 has been quite a challenge! What is your biggest hope for 2021?

Glenys: Oh, goodness! I am hoping, as everyone is, for a vaccine to be widely available to combat this virus so that we can all hug again, and see our families again. Beyond that, I'm very much hoping for America to be kind again, just like our character, Little Mole.

Sally: I’m thankful that I have been, like little mole, able to keep safe with my family in my own wee burrow. I think if anything comes out of this year it will be a sense of not taking things for granted and being grateful for the people who have kept everything going - from the shop owners, post workers and of course our social care and health workers. I hope we all manage to hold on to that feeling for the future.

Thanks again to this talented team behind Little Mole’s Christmas Gift!

Children's Poetry Round-Up!

I've been wanting to share this round-up for a while now.  Over a year ago, we started a little tradition in our family entitled 'Poetry-Slam Wednesdays'.  As with typical quirky family traditions, this one started without much planning or foresight...it's something I tried out one night on the fly (it was actually Valentine's Day 2017 and I was trying to kill some time before my husband came home for dinner) and we had checked out some poetry books and this amazing DVD from the library, A Child's Garden of Poetry. I mentioned the concept of a poetry-slam to my boys and they were intrigued (the trick with young boys, I am finding, is to use the word like 'slam' and then they are all ears).  We read some poetry, watched the film that showed middle-schoolers doing a poetry-slam and they were sold.  Since we were having dessert that night (we usually don't do dessert on weeknights but again, this was Valentine's Day) I told them that the poetry-slam would happen before our special dessert.  And again, they were totally on-board. The only parameters are that you come having either written your own poem, copied down someone else's to recite, or do one on the fly (our 3.5 year old particularly likes this option, wink) and a special dessert is always included (note that special to my kids is as simple as yogurt drizzled with maple syrup).  And I've realized that kids like poetry best when they've heard it read to them or have read it themselves. I don't get too technical with them yet, it's all about exposure to the greats, and having fun with it in the process.  Below are some of our favorites...enjoy. 

The Tree That Time Built A fabulous anthology of more than 100 poems celebrating the natural world. This is perfect for anytime, but especially spring! This also includes a CD which has many of the original poets reading their poems and that’s been particularly striking for both the kids, and myself!

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices: This one by Paul Fleischman must be read aloud by two people. It's all about the insect world so I was honestly a bit suspect at first, but so well-written and fun to read together and hear the cadence of the lines along with the two voices in tandem (you see this particularly in 'The Grasshopper'!)

A Light in the Atticand Where the Sidewalk Ends: I remember that feeling of reading Shel Silverstein for the first time as a kid and thinking: adults can really write silly stuff like this?! And this is actual poetry? As a child I would read these books over and over again (these are my well-worn childhood copies but you can still find them on Amazon) and my siblings and I used to read them aloud to each other, giggling the entire time.  When I showed them to the boys, they had equal reactions; jaw-dropping admiration for the zany wit of Silverstein and unable to put them down.

Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word:This collection of poems takes a word that children recognize, such as 'Pepperoni' and arranges them so that they become a poem of short lines: One / pie / no / pepper / onion. It's genius and it took us a while to get used to author Bob Raczka's style, but we appreciate it and love it!

Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems:Another Bob Raczka one that we love.  This is a collection of visual poems (i.e: the one entitled 'Clock' actually looks like a clock) and it makes the kids think hard about what he's trying to convey with his 'word paintings' as he refers to them.  Even the table of contents is drawn to look like a table! 

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons: Oh how I love both Julie Fogliano and Julie Morstad! And combined they are a powerful creative duo with this collection of poetry that celebrates the seasons. Each poem is entitled a different day of the year which helps kids connect what is happening weather-wise to their feelings.  From the example below ('march 22') you can see that this is a collection that speaks to adults as much as it does for kids. I have several memorized as do my boys! One special moment came last August when my middle son and I were picking ripe tomatoes out of the garden and he goes "Mom, I get it now! When GREEN becomes TOMATOES".  Ah, YES.

march 22:

just like a tiny, blue hello

a crocus blooming

in the snow

Beastly Verse:This one is new to us this year but boy did it get our attention with the combination of classic poems (Lewis Carroll's 'The Crocodile' and William Blake's 'The Tyger' just to name a few) and bright bold illustrations by JooHee Yoon. So far we've just been checking it out from the library but it's been such a hit here, I have a feeling it'll end up as someone's birthday book gift soon. And the clever British poetry has won us over: 'in what furnace is thy brain?' is now a well-repeated zinger around these parts. 

enormous smallness: This isn't so much a collection of poems as it is a biography about poet e.e. cummings but it includes several of his at the end so I wanted to include it here. It was fun to explain to my kids that it wasn't that long ago that someone decided to break the poetry mold and try something innovative (all lowercase, lots of punctuation, etc). It's a creative and inspiring read!

The Blacker the Berry:  This one is a collection by Joyce Carol Thomas and Floyd Cooper (both Coretta Scott King honorees) about all the shades and hues of the color black. The poems are short enough to hold kids attentions and the illustrations are done in whimsical soft palettes. And while some kids may be too young to comprehend the double entendre of many of the stanzas, I feel like this is a great one to have in a home library as they can easily grow into it. Lots of wonderful themes about self-love, diversity, and acceptance. One of my favorite lines from the book: "colors, without black, couldn't sparkle quite so bright".  

A Child's Garden of Verses:Take the liveliness of Robert Louis Stevenson's poems and combine them with the loveliness of Tasha Tudor's illustrations and you can get a fabulous treasury that you'll read over and over again.  This one is oft reached for on our Poetry-Slam Wednesdays when they'd rather recite than write. 

A Song About Myself: John Keats' poem comes to new life in this picture book that is wonderfully illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka.

Thunder Underground: We love this fabulous collection of poems about life underground (caves, subways, animal burrows, tunnels, etc). It's a unique mix of physical science & poetry and definitely speaks my boys love language! Poems by the formidable Jane Yolen, colorfully illustrated by Josée Masse.

Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmer's Market:Our little small town's farmer's market is right next to our library so some of our favorite weekend mornings spring through fall involve biking or walking downtown, picking up eggs, greens & berries and swinging by the library. This one channels your inner foodie and celebrates all things fresh with poems such as "Is it Ripe" to "Sally's Sweet Corn" and gets everyone in the family looking forward to the next market day.

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton: Another one that is a bit more of a biography but I felt like needed to be included was the story of George Moses Horton, known as the 'slave poet'. His life story is incredible and he's the first Southern African-American man to be published. I'd read it with kids 7 and older; the content is mature but the text is delivered in a gentle manner for kids to understand and I love the yellow, green and blue 'hopeful' hues.  Written and illustrated by Don Tate.

Miguel's Brave Knight: In this one, author Margarita Engle channels what a young Miguel de Cervantes must have felt like growing up with a gambling father that put the family into debt several times. All this family drama would lead to many daydreams of knights on steeds that would right everything that was wrong with the world. We've read an abridged version of 'Don Quixote' so my children (at least, the boys) are familiar with the basic storyline and were inspired to see how Cervantes dreamed up a story that would essentially become the first modern novel.

I'm Just No Good at Rhyming (And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-ups):  This one is hilarious! We just discovered it recently but my boys tore through it.  Written by Chris Harris, it's full of word play and zany humor and in the right spirit, you'll enjoy it just as much as your kids do!  Lane Smith's illustrations here add the perfect touch.  This is a must-have for your playful poetry nights. 

Poetry for Kids Series (individual titles below): OH.MY.GOODNESS.  This series of books is just wonderful. The series began in 2016 with the majority of the titles published in 2017 and most recently, Shakespeare in 2018.  Each book provides a brief bio about the author, lovingly illustrated poems, definition of key words (to help the younger set) and depending on the book, commentary for each poem (for example, in the Whitman book, NYU Professor Karen Karbenier, PhD, explains Whitman's poetry).  I gifted my 4 year old the Emily Dickinson one for her recent birthday and while I know she is still too little to fully appreciate it, Dickinson's poems are accessible to a wide age range and the watercolor illustrators are lovely and keep her engaged while I read.  I will probably gift my boys the Frost and Whitman ones for Christmas. You know a series is good when it's hard to choose but trust me, these make a fabulous addition to any home library, kids OR adults. 

Poetry for Kids: Emily Dickinson

Poetry for Kids: Walt Whitman

Poetry for Kids: Robert Frost

Poetry for Kids: William Shakespeare

Poetry for Kids: Carl Sandburg

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Easter Basket Round Up

Time to talk baskets! Growing up our Easter baskets were heavy on the chocolate (Cadbury, yum) and jelly beans, and an accessory such as a hair bow or little purse but honestly not much else. Not that there is anything wrong with that but more sugar is one thing that my kids don’t need, wink, and since Easter is an important faith holiday for us, we like to focus on something that encourages them in their faith walk while also celebrating the new life that is reflected all around us during springtime (which sometimes looks like new art supplies, new poetry books, etc). And if you haven’t endured a Michigan winter you don’t know just how joyous that celebration is! Here I’ve rounded up some of my spring favorites. I try to focus on what we need to replenish (chalk, bubbles, paints) and sometimes I snag a little something at Target (they have such cute watering cans for kids as well as wooded painted birdhouses). And at the end of the day, you really just have the size of a basket to work with so while it’s easy to get overwhelmed with Christmas (and having to stem the tide of gifts from well-meaning family and friends), I find Easter much easier and simpler. And that’s probably the way it should be, no? Smile. Happy Easter all!

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Best Picture Books for Women's History Month

Rounding up some of our favorite SHEROES over here…and I realize I’m just scratching the surface here so if you have any favorites, comment below!

The Voice that Won the Vote: How One Women’s Voice Made History

Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton

Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist

Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race

Mae Among the Stars

Our Legendary Ladies: Harriet Tubman

Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom

The Story of Ruby Bridges

Ice Breaker: How Mabel Fairbanks Changed Figure Skating

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story about Edna Lewis

The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath 

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre

Amelia Who Could Fly

Nature’s Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story

Malala’s Magic Pencil

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story

The House that Jane Built: A Story about Jane Addams

Ada’s Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the Word’s First Computer Programmer

Ada Lovelace: Poet of Science

Viva Frida

Miss Todd and Her Wonderful Flying Machine

Lighter than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot

Our Legendary Ladies: Anandi Gopal Joshi

That Book Woman

I am Rosa Parks

Little People, Big Dreams: Maya Angelou

Mary Wears What She Wants

Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing

The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin

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Be the Bridge Resources

I’m currently hosting a Be the Bridge group and we decided to create a shared document where we could compile resources (books, websites, movies, podcasts, etc) around diversity, racism, racial reconciliation, as they relate to our nation’s history, current cultural moment, and more. As I was adding my recommendations to the list I realized that mine mainly included, what else, books. So I figured I’d share it here as well as much is what I’ve read in recent years around these topics. And I included picture books here along with adult ones because I’ve learned SO much about Black History Month, and more, through children’s literature. Note that this list is a work in progress and not comprehensive at all! I have pulled much inspired over the years from HereWeeRead and HappilyEverElephants and hope you check them out and their booklists as well. In the meantime, I hope you find something for yourself, or your family crew, to grow and deepen your understanding of race relations and the socio-political history of our country. I’d love to hear some of your favorites as well!

Non-fiction/Memoir

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness: Austin Channing Brown

The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border: Francisco Cantú

All You Can Ever Know: Nicole Chung

Tell Me How it Ends: Valeria Luiselli

Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation: LaTasha Morrison

A $500 Dollar House in Detroit: Rebuilding an Abandoned Home and an American City: Drew Philp

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen: Jose Antonio Vargas

The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After, Clementine Wamariya

Fiction

Americanah: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chains/Forge/Ashes Trilogy, Laurie Halse Anderson

Elijah of Buxton, Christopher Paul Curtis

The Kitchen House: Kathleen Grissom

Glory Over Everything: Kathleen Grissom (sequel to The Kitchen House)

Homegoing: Yaa Gyasi

Someone Knows My Name: Laurence Hill

An American Marriage: Tayari Jones

America’s First Daughter: Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

The Invention of Wings: Sue Monk Kidd

The Help: Kathryn Stockett

The Hate U Give: Angie Thomas

The Underground Railroad: Coleson Whitehead

Picture Books

Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King’s Dream and You

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin

Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World

Hidden Figures

Mae Among the Stars

Our Legendary Ladies: Harriet Tubman

The Blacker the Berry (poetry)

Steamboat School

Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness

Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom

The Story of Ruby Bridges

Ice Breaker: How Mabel Fairbanks Changed Figure Skating

We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song

Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story of the Underground Railroad

Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story about Edna Lewis

The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath 

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

Valentine's Day Picture Book Round Up

Confession: once I moved past middle school, I either found Valentine's Day unnecessarily stressful or just downright cheesy. And while I don't want to give in to the sugar/chocolate marketing hype, I do think it's a fun day to remind those closest to us that we love them and to teach our kids what love looks like. As a family we try to do surprise love notes throughout the month of February to each other (this has gotten fun as my older two can now write on their own but stickers work great for little hands too), send handmade cards to friends and grandparents, read books about love that goes beyond romantic love (love is servant-hearted, courageous, thoughtful, etc) and love on our community (we've surprised firefighters with donuts and make & pass out blessings bags for the homeless as February can tend to dip into single digit temps here). Anyway, it's not to add any pressure or stress on the parent, just fun ways to model various acts of love to the littles. Here's a fun round-up of some Valentine's Day picture books that we are enjoying this month!

My Heart
By Corinna Luyken
Love Is
By Diane Adams
This Is Not a Valentine
By Carter Higgins
A Hug Is for Holding Me
By Lisa Wheeler
Love Is a Tutu
By Amy Novesky
I Wrote You a Note
By Lizi Boyd
I Carry Your Heart with Me
By E.E. Cummings
Words and Your Heart
By Kate Jane Neal
My Heart Is a Compass
By Deborah Marcero

Reading in 2020

I realize it’s February, and that yes, I’m already either through or in the midst of several of the below reads, but here is what I’m reading in 2020. I’m usually a firm believer in not setting a reading list for myself since I love the spontaneity that comes with happening upon a new read, but given my spiraling out of control #tbr coupled with a desire for more focused reading this year led me to do some pruning of what’s been lingering on my list for years, and to finally tackle those that I’ve been wanting to read. I’m usually at the mercy of library holds so I can’t get down to the exact order but here you go! And lately some of my fiction has been pretty intense (lots of fiction narratives around some rather painful parts of world history) but I believe those stories are valuable and need to be told (although I’ve learned to stay away from those that glorify trauma or abuse and balance them out with lighter reads) so you’ll see that I’ve broken up my fiction reads into two sections. And I’m a pretty fast reader so I anticipate that this won’t carry me through the entire year of 2020 but I purposely buffered in the space for the ‘must-reads’ that friends inevitably put into my hands. And summer reading? That’s another list entirely. Wink. Let me know what’s on your 2020 list and hope you find some literary inspiration here too!

NONFICTION

An Indigenous People's History of the United States: I’ve wanted to read this one since it came out in 2015 and finally making 2020 the year to learn more about this tragic part of our country’s history.

As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life: The power of memory as it relates to spiritual transformation. As we embark on a new decade, it’s worth musing over how our past affects our future growth.

Atomic Habits: An exploration on habit formation that also provides a framework on how to form effective ones.

Dare to Inspire: Sustain the Fire of Inspiration in Work and Life: My friend Allison Holzer is one of the co-authors and she’s been on the forefront of the positive psychology movement and for years has focused on inspiration as it relates to the personal and corporate world. I’m halfway through and already using it personally as well as with the clients that I coach.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World: When the title says it all. Wink.

Disrupt Yourself: Master Relentless Change and Speed Up Your Learning Curve: I coach many individuals who are looking to change careers, industries, and often, themselves, so looking forward to learning more about effective ways to facilitate inner transformation.

How to Free Your Child from Negative Thinking: Powerful, Practical Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Resilience, Flexibility and Happiness: I picked this one up years back when I noticed the inner critics starting to emerge in my kids. Then it subsided so I put it away, now we’re back in that zone and I forgot how wonderful it is. Whether it’s a phase or your child’s actual emotional make-up, it’s worth reading to learn more how to harness their mental neuro-plasticity. Don’t we all wish we learned this earlier in life?

Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health: I don’t love the subtitle but I am a big believer that we think about does effect us emotionally as well as physically. Looking forward to delving further into this topic.

The Entitlement Trap: How to Rescue Your Child with a New Family System of Choosing, Earning, and Ownership: My husband grew up with an allowance, as a first gen kid, I didn’t. Neither of us were passionate about either style, so this one about how to create a family economy that actually empowers children while stewarding financial resources is intriguing to us!

The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth: I had this one out from the library a few years back but had to return it before I read it and then it fell down the black hole that is the #tbr. Now that I’ve read The Road Back to You, it’s time to dig deeper into the Enneagram with this one.

Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path: It’s been a while since I’ve read a book on creativity specifically as it relates to writing so I’m particularly excited for this one.

FICTION

America for Beginners: A Novel: The US through the eyes of an Indian widow and her tour guide. I’ve heard it’s poignant and humorous at the same time which often makes for a stellar combination.

An Antidote for Everything: Medical care as it relates to transgender patients. Curious to know more? I am too.

The Book of Unknown Americans: This one about a family of Mexican immigrants came out in 2015 and has been on my list since. 2020 is the year!

Little Bee This is from my unread shelf which actually is rather sparse since most of my books come from the library! But a friend gave me this one in 2015 and it’s time to dust it off the shelf and just read it!

The Far Field: From Bangalore to Kashir, a novel about family, love and politics.

The Lost Letter: Inspired by actual resistance workers during WWII in Austria. I read it is a must-read if you loved Lilac Girls, which I did, so adding it the list.

The Lost Vintage: A Novel: What starts off as a weekend in a vineyard in Burgundy leads to a family’s ties with WW2. Every time I think I’ve read everything in the WWII canon, there is a new twist on this part of history and I’m looking forward to this one.

The Overstory: Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer, I’ve read rave reviews about this one on creation, trees and our human interconnectedness and am excited to read it this year.

The Water Dancer: About a 19th century slave with a mysterious power; I’ve heard it described as bold and ambitious with a touch of magical realism and now I’m eager to see for myself.

This is Chance! The Shaking of an All-American City and the Voice that Held It Together: About a town in Alaska in the 1960s that is met by tragedy and the radio reporter that keeps it together.

Middle Grade/YA

A Very Large Expanse of Sea: A YA read about first love and prejudice in a post 9/11 world.

Broken Lucky Girl: Cuban-Jewish immigrant story for the 10-12 age set. A close friend set both of her kids, one boy, one girl, read it and raved about it which knowing her bookworms, was enough for me to add it to the list!

Coral: A story about depression/mental health using the original Little Mermaid as inspiration. I finished it a few weeks ago and am still thinking about it. Review coming soon.

The Fountains of Silence: So far I love everything that Ruta Sepetys has written. This one takes us to 1950s Franco-run Spain.

The Wednesday Wars: Well the cat is out on this one. I read it last week and laughed and cried and loved it so much that I’m hunting down the rest of Gary Schmidt’s books.

On the Lighter Side

American Royals: Teasing out what it’d look like if Washington had been given a crown.

The Curious Heart of Alisa Rae: I’m intrigued about this one regarding a young woman with a fatal heart condition yet who still hasn’t given up on love.

Meg & Jo: Wasn’t sure about a modern retelling of Little Women since I love the original so much but I’ve heard rave reviews so now am curious to see how it is!

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler: Single mom departs rural PA and takes on NYC one summer, it sounds like a great one to read in between some intense ones.

Mini Mother's Day Gift Guide

The other day my husband was asking what I wanted for Mother's Day and my answer was the same as it is every year: just time with you and the kids. And good, strong coffee. And brunch. LOL. But honesty, tangible gifts aren't my love language the way that quality time is, but he pointed out that he wants to teach us our kids how to love on their mama and my boys particularly had been asking for him to help them pick out a gift...SO since my arm was twisted, a book list was rapidly sent his way and they have plans to hit our local indie bookstore this weekend. All this made me think of how many of you perhaps are looking for a gift for your own mothers...or for sisters, friends, aunts, or yourselves! I am hesitant to call this an official gift guide since there are so many other bloggers out there that do a fabulous job of curating gifts (I see you, @dosaygive) but here a few unique ones for that woman in your life that loves to live by the page:

Books

Cookbooks

Links below to some of my favorites....even if you are working with more of a novice cook, cookbooks provide fabulous inspiration or even make lovely coffee table books too. Wink.

Cloth + Paper

Because one can never have enough bags or paper goods, right!? Special Living by the Page coupon codes included below!!!

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a personal journal makes a fabulous gift and these ones are perfect for upcoming summer travel or to record those special moments in a unique list format. head here to order and shipping is free if you order by may 7!

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Flourish Motherhood Magazine is graciously offering a FREE digital download for either Issue 01—4. I’ve written several times for Flourish and I’m always encouraged, challenging and uplifted by this magazine as well! Use code MOTHERSDAY19 now throug…

Flourish Motherhood Magazine is graciously offering a FREE digital download for either Issue 01—4. I’ve written several times for Flourish and I’m always encouraged, challenging and uplifted by this magazine as well! Use code MOTHERSDAY19 now through June 1!!