Fairy Tale Roundup: Cinderella

C.S. Lewis wrote The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a gift for his goddaughter.  But, as he explains in the preface, she grew faster than the story and was too old by the time it was finished.  But, he writes, "some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."  Isn't that a lovely truth?

I love fairy tales, and I'm learning to love them in a new way now that I'm old enough, again.  Which is why we are starting a new series of posts to share our favorite versions of fairy tales.   We'll begin with the quintessentially classic tale, Cinderella.  There were already 345 known versions of this story 125 year ago.  Cinderella is endlessly evolving, across time and cultures.  In some versions she's born inside a vegetable and in others she rides to the ball in one.  Sometimes a fairy godmother intervenes, sometimes it's a dead fish's bones, and other times Cinderella's cleverness, and goodness, are all the magic she needs.

Playmobil 1.2.3

Are you familiar with Playmobil? They have the most intricate play worlds with various themes some of my favorites are Western, Fairies, City Action, Pirates.

While these larger Playmobil sets are amazing, having a toddler in the house makes it difficult for me to use them. The tiny pieces that make them lovely for older kids, are not so toddler friendly. I had kind of written Playmobil off for us until our youngest was older, then I discovered the Playmobil 1.2.3 line.

The pieces in the Playmobil 1.2.3 line are chunkier and the parts are limited. Win!

Here are some of our favorites:

one / two / three / four / five / six 

Toys with handles are genius, my toddler loves being able to carry the Take Along Barn around the house and set up shop anywhere. I love the small design details of these toys, like the bins that go with the recycling truck, and the luggage included with the airplane.

How do you feel about Playmobil? Did you grow up with it? Do you buy it for your kids?
I grew up with Playmobil but my husband did not so when my mother gifted us with our first Playmobil set for our oldest he was a little overwhelmed by the set up. Anyone have a similar experience?

Book of the Week: Mr. Postmouse's Rounds

If you are a Wes Anderson fan, this picture book was made for you. If you aren't, we suggest you become one.

Q & A: Iggy Peck Architect

Our talented friend Reese is sharing her thoughts on Iggy Peck Architect. Reese is as big a fan of David Roberts' illustrations as we are. 

Peek Inside a Playroom: Elise

Do you have that friend that you learn a lot from just by watching them parent? The one who is calm, cool and collected in the face of girl drama (she has 3), is always put together, is good at multitasking, is prepared with a capital P, and makes it seem like being outnumbered is totally doable? Did I mention she also runs half marathons, has a resume consulting business, and plans awesome family adventures? Yes, Elise is one of those friends who is inspiring in her ability to accomplish her goals.

Please welcome her and her darling playroom!

Book of The Week: Wolfie the Bunny

Wolfie the Bunny, written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Zachariah OHora is a great book to start off the week.  Our protagonist, Dot, is quick and outspoken.  She evolves from a skeptical roommate into a protective older sister.  And, no big deal, a hero to boot.  Dyckman's story is humorous, imaginative, and deceptively simple.

The Rainbow Connection

When was the last time you thought of a toy as beautiful?  Probably the last time you were looking for Grimm's blocks.  They are stunning.  Handcrafted, brightly colored, ageless, and designed specifically for open-ended, imaginative play.  Do you have any favorite toys or toy brands that kind of make you swoon?

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven 

An Easter Basket for Your Naturalist

Do you have a child who loves to look for birds nests, collect rocks, dig in the dirt, or stop and pick every dandelion in sight to make bouquets or wishes? Or perhaps one who shoves their pockets full of twigs and sticks because they can't live without them? I do.

While this can make for some interesting discoveries when doing laundry, it is one of my favorite things about raising kids. I love that they are curious about everything and they have so much to discover and marvel at.

These Easter basket selections were picked with this idea in mind and are meant to create opportunities for kids to enjoy the exploration of the natural world around them.

What could be more appropriate for spring, when the natural world is waking up?

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve 

Reading With Mel

Friends, you are in for a treat. Today, we have Mel Schuit with us answering our questions on children's books from the perspective of an illustrator and author. Mel also has a wonderfully informative blog, Let's Talk Picture Books, where she discusses picture books within themes, e.g., unicorns, or underwater adventures, types of illustrations, and specific authors and illustrators. One of the things that we most appreciate about Mel's blog is the insight it provides into the process of creating illustrations. Picture books are, by definition, stories told using text and pictures.  Gaining a better understanding of how the pictures are made, why they work with the story, and walking through individual picture books has enhanced our reading experience.  Thank you, Mel!

Name: Mel Schuit
Where do you live? Boston, MA
What did you study in college? I have a BA in Studio Art and MA/MFA in Children's Literature/Writing for Children

Book of the Week: Beyond the Pond

Beyond the Pond is Joseph Kuefler's first picture book.  May all authors have similar debuts.  Beyond the Pond is the story of Ernest D. who escapes his too ordinary world by exploring the depths of the pond in his backyard.

Building a Home Library: For Serious Book Buyers Only

What is the difference between casual and serious book buying?  Consider the following: Have you exhausted the obvious resources for finding books and are still looking for more?  Do you have a monthly budget dedicated to purchasing books?  Do you scan auctions and estate sales for mentions of lots or pallets of books? Do you have a dedicated book gifting room for your surplus books? The last one might be taking things to another level, closer to a bibliophile nirvana, but we think you get the idea.

When Jandee participated in our Reading With series last month, she sent some photos of her impressive home library that we've been excited to share with you. The day has come and if it's possible, we are even more excited to share her tips on how she's built her inspiring home library. At our request, Jandee provided us with an amazing reference guide for book buying, we've dubbed it the The Serious Book Buying Guide. 

An Easter Basket for Your Ringleader

I'm as terrified of clowns as the next person.  But that doesn't mean I can't put my irrational fear of these comic entertainers aside and embrace the potential for fun that comes with the carnival.  The circus theme for children is limitless. This Easter basket is an ode to some of these possibilities, offering up opportunities for reading, dancing, open ended play, and dress up.

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve 

St. Patrick's Day Round Up

There's an Irish saying that goes, "May your home always be too small to hold all your friends."  In the spirit of the upcoming holiday and Tee & Penguin, I'll add, "and may your library be too small to hold all your books."  I will never have enough shelves to hold all the amazingness currently stored on my Amazon wish list.   

But enough about my first world problems.  We're here to help you get into the St. Patrick's Day spirit with a round up of some our favorite books for the holiday.  Did we miss any of your favorites?

one/two/three/four/five/six/seven/eight/nine

St. Patrick's Day is a great excuse to have some extra fun with your kids.  We've done everything from building and setting leprechaun traps, having them wake up to leprechaun mischief (green milk, hidden toys, etc.), to leaving a scattering of (chocolate) gold coins for them to search for.  All popular options.  We would love to hear about any fun traditions you have in your home!

If you're looking for some simple crafts to celebrate with check out this Huffington Post roundup. Here are some recommendations for authentic Irish dishes, at least a handful of which look appetizing.  Kidding, not kidding.   And how about this twist on the Shamrock shake?

Book of the Week: How To

In Julie Morstad's authorial debut she brings us a beautiful book with simple but powerful text that highlights the wonderful page spreads she has illustrated. Welcome to How To.

Building a Home Library: Buying Used Books

Children's picture books, especially good ones, are expensive. We love buying new books, but we also try to use our discretionary dollars wisely, which means we like to search out good deals on books. When we say a good deal, we mean 75%- 90% off retail prices.  Read on for all the economical details.

If you haven't used Thriftbooks yet, we recommend you try it immediately. If our recommendation doesn't lure you in then maybe their motto will: Read More. Spend Less. Your books will arrive in this distinctive packaging:

The contents:

An Easter Basket for Your Littles

Who's ready for Easter? We are! Because holidays, like Easter, are perfect book giving opportunities. 

We know what it's like to be scanning the seasonal aisles the night before when all that is left is an abundance of peeps and random colored easter grass, but this can be the year you get your Easter baskets done early.

We'll be posting a theme each week until Easter and we're starting off with a basket perfectly suited for the babies and toddlers in your life. We've not only picked out books but other goodies to go with the general theme. 

Enjoy!

When You Were Small, Milestone Baby Cards, Tower or Time Handprint Kit, Small Jellycat Bunny, Playdoh Eggs (Target has these for a better price), Skip Hop Bath Ducks, Carrot, The Wonderful Things You Will Be, If I Were a Rabbit, MixMates, Green Tones Bear Shaker, Chameleon Bubble Blower.

Setting Up Your Own Post Office

Every kid loves mail!  And the concept lends itself to so many great activities. If you're looking for an invitation for your kids to get creative we suggest setting up your own mini post office.  We've gathered a few of our favorite postal picks to get you started.

Felt Mailbox Play Set, Postman Costume, Melissa and Doug Alphabet Stamp Set, Toy Mail Truck, Minted Personalized Stationery, Melissa and Doug My Own Mailbox, Stamps, Melissa and Doug Storytelling Paper, Classic #2 Pencil, Magic Rub Erasers (12 pack), Melissa and Doug Sort and Stamp Mailbox