Author Jeanne Birdsall once said that her ideal book would include “loving families and siblings that got along.” This sentiment essentially summarizes Birdsall’s delightful quartet of volumes that make up the bestselling Penderwicks series.

Beloved for generations, the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary captures all the complexities of childhood and presents them with warmth, humor, and an unfailing sense of optimism. Ramona chapter books offer widespread appeal as engaging chapter books for young readers or as read-alouds for the entire family.

Do you have a bookworm in your house? A bookworm would rather read than sleep, and a bookworm walks down the sidewalk with his nose buried in a book. If that sounds like someone you know, this list is for you. We’ve got books about libraries, books about books, and books about people who love books! So grab your book lover and your library card and enjoy a few of these picture books for bookworms!

Alphabet picture books are an amazing category of books! Not only do they come in a multitude of child-friendly themes, they are wonderful for increasing letter knowledge, building vocabulary, and developing phonological awareness. And you can do all of that while snuggling up together on the couch!

The Zigzag Zebra (affectionately known as Ziggy) is a familiar face to users of our pre-reading program. Ziggy is a young zebra who loves to read right along with young students.

Teaching children to read can be difficult under the best of circumstances. But just imagine the challenge of teaching a child whose first language is not English.

This is the challenge that Karen* faces as she homeschools her children. Karen’s children are “English language learners,” (also known as “second language learners”). 

A good bedtime story can help dial down your child’s energy level and get him ready for a good night’s sleep. Here’s a fantastic selection of bedtime picture books that you can share with your children.

What do you get when you combine an extremely intelligent fifth-grade boy and a strong and savvy fifth-grade girl with a gang of mean boys, a police detective, and a neighborhood full of kids?

You get the sleuthing adventures of the Encyclopedia Brown series!

If the sight of vegetables makes your little one say “see you later, alligator,” this snack is for you!

Alligators dream of eating lunch with their big teeth and powerful jaws, but this healthy and delicious recipe turns the tables on those ravenous reptiles.

Can you teach spelling and cursive at the very same time?

Lori* is a real mom with two real kids who use All About Spelling. Cursive writing was a skill that Lori’s kids desperately needed to improve, but she was struggling to fit another subject into their school day.

Preschoolers usually aren’t fond of bumblebees, but this is one bee that won’t create mayhem when it starts buzzing around your kitchen.

Our most recent ABC Snacks recipe takes something potentially scary and turns it into something that’s sweet enough to eat. It’s a honey of a healthy snack that’s easy to make and even easier to eat—even for the littlest bee in your hive!

If your little ones are anything like mine were, eating fruits and veggies is a lot more appealing when they also get to help in the kitchen.

Not all my ABC Snacks are as wholesome as this one, but with the Beautiful Butterfly Snack, you might find that your little ones are actually excited to eat some of the “good-for-you” stuff.