Camping and Reading: The Perfect Summertime Combination

Since this website is called Storytime Under the Stars, and since we are officially in Summer, we thought we would discuss two of our favorite summertime activities: camping and reading. For many families across the country, once the kids are out of school, it’s time to hit the open road and see the country. Family vacations come in all shapes and sizes, but the iconic summer getaway—in our opinion anyway—will.

Creating a Great Home Environment for Your Children

Reading to and with your children is more than just helping them learn to read or furthering their education. It’s about fostering overall wellness. Dedicated book time in the home is just one way you can and should enhance your home environment. The home is the one place your children should feel safe and secure. In a world of turmoil and chaos, they need to know that no matter what.

Children’s Book Review: Mary Poppins

It’s a shame that most people are more familiar with the big-screen, Disney version of Mary Poppins than we are with the children’s book on which is was based. And while there is a definite charm and attractive quality to the characters played by Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and the like, there is something special and very different about the original characters found in P.L. Travers’ 1934 book. Mary.

A Story That Needs to Become a Movie

It’s summertime, which means there are going to be a slew of blockbuster films to go watch. A story in Idaho news predicts this will be one of the biggest box-office summers ever. The big contenders this summer are “Jurassic World” and “Ant-Man.” Jurassic World is interesting because it is the fourth installment trying to make money off of the late Michael Crichton’s genius. We all love a good sequel,.

What Makes a Good Kids’ Story?

We all have a pretty good idea about what makes a really great novel: a page-turning plot, characters that we relate to, and real conflict are among the big criteria. But what is it that makes great children’s literature? Believe it or not, the same things that go into great adult fiction can and should be woven into children’s storybooks if they are going to be considered great too. However,.

Don’t Let Laziness Deprive Your Kids of a Great Library Experience

Thirty years ago, the best place to find a good book to read, regardless of your age, was the library. Don’t let the Internet of today fool you. It was and still is affordable, convenient and fun to head down to the local library and find something great to read. But libraries are about so much more than just checking out old books. Nowadays, libraries know they have to compete.

Suggestions for Childhood Summer Reading

Ahh, summer. Lazy days. Sleeping in. Running through the sprinklers. Family trips to Yellowstone and the beach. However, when your kids have too much time on their hands, summer can be every bit as challenging as the other months of the year. The theme song to a popular kids’ show on the Disney Channel describes the “problem” of “finding a good way” to spend summer vacation. Of all the things.

Turn Summer Reading Into an Experience for the Senses

This summer, as your kids take a three-month break from school, you as a parent will be faced with a tough decision: How to keep those youngsters occupied until the fall. While some decisions are obviously better than others, you can opt to take the kids on a traveling vacation, you can send them outside to play, or you can plop them down in front of the TV for 90.

Want Kids to Read This Summer? Let Them Choose the Books

A story from Idaho News has some great advice on getting your children to read over the upcoming summer break: Let them choose the reading material. As parents, we are sometimes so concerned about making sure our children keep up on their reading during the summer months that we load them up with books from our own choosing or that were suggested by teachers, other parents, etc. However, according to.

‘Dreams of Freedom’

‘Dreams of Freedom’

‘Dreams of Freedom is a feast of visual stories - brave words and beautiful pictures, woven together to inspire young readers to stand up for others and make a difference.’ - Michael Morpurgo (From the powerful forward to the book) Following on from the story of the children’s manifesto at Imagine Children’s Festival last week it seemed to be a natural next step on this blog journey to talk about.

Top 10 Read for My School books

Top 10 Read for My School books

The FREE Read for My School programme has over 100 online books for participating school pupils (Years 3-8) to read. There are classic tales from the likes of Roald Dahl and Terry Pratchett as well as newer books from authors such as Tom Palmer and Lauren Child. Schools must register for 2015’s Read for My School in order to access the free online books and resources. The competition closes 10.

Pippa Goodhart on ‘A Dog Called Flow’

Pippa Goodhart on ‘A Dog Called Flow’

A Dog Called Flow was my first ever publication. More than 90 books and 20 years later, why is this particular story still in print? It was first published by Mammoth (now Egmont), then Barn Owl, and this newly updated edition is coming from Troika Books. What is the secret of this story’s endurance? One reason is the interest it has generated because the main character, Oliver, is dyslexic, and.

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