Listen Up! Kid Lit With a Quiet Message That Needs Heard

September 16, 2019 Blathering interrupters are exhausting. We’ve all been cornered by them, whether it’s an over-talking, sentence-finishing workplace colleague, an opinionated family member at a holiday gathering, or a social acquaintance lobbing rhetorical questions into the mix with zero intention of awaiting an answer. More often than not, they appear as if they can’t … [Read more...]

Not Your Typical Dog Books for Kids: Media That Matters

Mar. 23, 2015 "Dogs make the best teachers"...Today is National Puppy Day, time to give a big "paws up" to our friends at A Puppy's New Home, creating respect, social emotional learning, and diversity lessons embedded in this new book series preparing families in a 'what to know before you go' mindset on adopting animals into your home. Excellent message for this day, and … [Read more...]

Guardian Princesses: Prosocial Planet Protectors?

Sept. 1, 2014 I admit, my first reaction to The Guardian Princesses was wince-worthy...“Oh please, NOT more freakin’ princesses!”Followed by, “Here we go with the chocolate covered broccoli bit embedding a stealth health “better for you” media message into the junk food genre of princess pablum.” Finally, I settled into a more measured,“Well, if they're upending kid lit to … [Read more...]

Speaking Out: A Rainbow of Reasons We Need Diverse Books

June 26, 2015 Update Photo essayist/youth archivist Rachelle Lee Smith of visual literacy book Speaking Out will be in town signing copies at Reach and Teach San Mateo tonight 7-9pm. Apropos on this day of historic family diversity with the 5-4 Supreme Court decision ruling that gay couples have the right to marry, as her photos in the book point to the many youth voices not … [Read more...]

The Invisible Boy: A Kids Storybook That Taps A Universal Nerve

Update Dec. 24, 2015 We're about to volunteer at a children's homeless shelter doing activities with kids and it reminded me about this post and how I've 'seen so much invisibility' over the holiday season particularly. From social shunning and  ostracism within families, to homeless and disenfranchised groups, the holidays bring out a lot of invisibility...keep an eye out with … [Read more...]