One way to encourage a love for reading in the household is to have a comfortable and conducive reading area. How does one create a place to build that love for reading? Here are some ideas.

The right amount of space. Not too spacey, not too cramped… create a space that allows you to be cozy and comfortable while reading. Consider the different furniture and accessories you’ll be needing as well so your space does not look too cluttered.
Cozy seating. An overstuffed chair, bean bags, a fluffy couch, a seat with an ottoman… what kind of seat makes you not want …read more

A hot topic right now is MacKenzie Phillip’s memoir, High On Arrival. It’s so hot, that even Oprah wants in on the action, having the actress on her show to help her promote her story. In the book, Phillips details her life as the daughter of musician John Phillips.
Born into rock and roll royalty, flying in Learjets to the Virgin Islands at five, making pot brownies with her father’s friends at eleven, Mackenzie grew up in an all-access kingdom of hippie freedom and heroin cool. It was a kingdom over which her father, the legendary John Phillips of The Mamas …read more

For all you self-help book fans  out there, Fall is going to bring a fresh crop of books for readers in search of guidance in the areas of love, romance, and/or sex.All of these books are available for pre-order at Barnes and Noble.com.
The Sexually Confident Wife: Connecting With Your Husband Mind, Body, Heart, Spirit
by Shannon Ethridge
Available – September 8, 2009
The Sexually Confident Wife is a good fit for married women of faith.
Shannon Ethridge, author of the Every Woman’s Battle book series, wrote this book because she believes that …”every woman deserves to enjoy great sex with her husband, without …read more

I have to admit that I’ve fallen under the Twilight spell.  I usually try to resist books and movies that cause cultural obsessions and extreme fanaticism.  I’ve never read a Harry Potter book, so I definitely never participated in all of the hype that goes along with the newest sequels.  I think I even scoffed at the idea of reading a children’s book at an adult age.  But this Twilight series has really snagged me!
I casually read the first Twilight book and thought it was pretty good, but was not obsessed.  Then last week I read the second book in …read more

In keeping with our theme this week…exploring your local area, investigate what your library is offering.  You and your children may be delighted at what you discover.
Summer reading programs at local libraries offer youngsters fun and reading encouragement.  Our library, the Pease Public Library in Plymouth, NH, has excited young readers for many years.  I’m always impressed by what is planned for youngsters and the community.  Also, the children receive prizes, donated by local businesses,  for the number of books they read during the summer.
Even, though my grandchildren are too old (high school and college age when the programs are geared for …read more

When discussing books with a children’s school librarian, I mentioned Twilight and the fact that so many youngsters are fascinated by Stephenie Meyer’s books.  The librarian said that the series becomes a little more risqué in the subsequent books.  So at that school, they limited the reading to Twilight, unless the student had written permission from the parents.
This was considered an appropriate policy, especially since students as young as fourth grade wanted to check out these books.  This gave the parents input into their children’s reading selections.
This raises some interesting questions:
Do you think a school should limit a student’s reading material unless he/she …read more

BalletGirl came home today very excited about that bag she was carrying, it had all types of treasures inside. What was in the bag? Books. If you or if she is anything like me, you will learn that a book can transport you to a new world, time, place in a matter of pages. If it is a good book it can grab you the moment you begin to wait. Now that she is older I see her picking more books that are actually familiar to me. Do you recognize any of the books below?
Summer Reading Books:
Scary Stories: More Tales …read more

“Lizzie’s mom wouldn’t let her read certain books, so she kept them in her locker at school and read them anyway,” my daughter shared with me about her friend years later. 
 ”These weren’t ‘bad’ books,” Beth continued, “only books Lizzie’s mom thought didn’t go along with their religion.”
We had always read to and with Beth when she was younger and encouraged her love of books.
 I didn’t restrict the books Beth read.  Instead, when she was in high school, she shared with me, and we discussed why or why I didn’t think they were appropriate.  I thought I needed to teach her …read more

Recently, there was a discussion on one of my online children’s author groups  (I’m a children’s author, as well as blogger) about children’s chapter books dealing with death.  Most of them are slated for young readers,  6-9 years old.
I thought I’d pass this information along in case parents, grandparents and others would find this list of interest for reference.  Some books deal with death of a family member or friend; others are about the death of a pet.

Remembering Mrs. Rossi by Amy Hest
Love You, Soldier by Amy Hest
Because of Winn Dixie
Each Little Bird That Sings
Sarah Plain and Tall
The Higher Power …read more

My grandson, now in 8th grade, has been interested in robotics since he was 7-years old.  As a first grader,  he would go to the resource section of the school library and find books about robots and creating them.
He and his grandfather tried some initial robotic activities and his interest continues.  I’ve begun to explore this area more in depth to stimulate Grandson’s interest.  A friend’s son entered into a robotics competition recently.  Another friend’s nephew is majoring in robotics at college.
Robotics is the wave of the future for youngsters now and as they grow up? As parents and …read more