Search Results for: kids picks

You Might Want to Know

September 15, 2008 by Jennifer

You may have been wondering why all the fuss about Harry Potter. I wrote two posts this week (one on why I chose to read the series and introduce it to my daughter and another one on our first experience with the movie), but it’s not like there’s a new book out, or even a new movie, right?

Well, this year marks the tenth anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. At 5 Minutes for Mom, we are giving away one grand prize of the entire set in hardback and the special anniversary edition of the Sorcerer’s Stone. Four runners up will also receive the special anniversary edition. So, head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and enter. The contest is open through October 6.

I also wanted to reveal the buttons for our two new carnivals, and remind you about the details.

Kids’ Picks will launch this Tuesday, September 16, and will take place the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Our button was designed by Krista at Welcome to Married Life. I mentioned that I would plug someone’s blog or business if I selected their button, so I did want to let you know that Krista is a Discovery Toys consultant.

Join us and tell us what your kids would recommend this month. It could be a book that you found at the library that your two-year-old can’t get enough of. It could be the hot new chapter book that your elementary student has read, or a book that your young niece can’t stop talking about.

When we have a fifth Tuesday, as we do this month, we will have the I Read It! carnival. Write up your reviews of books that you tried after you read our reviews.

This fun button was designed by Dawn of Barefoot Blog Designs who blogs at My Home Sweet Home.

Just like we say every week, we’ll see you Tuesday!

Children’s Classics — Picture Books

September 9, 2008 by Jennifer

Welcome back to the second edition of Children’s Classics. Last month people posted such wonderful recommendations in our post on chapter books that I can’t wait to read everyone’s favorites in this category.

You can simply post a review, or you can use any or all of these questions to prompt you:

Would you recommend the book? To whom?

If you wouldn’t recommend it, why do you think it’s been so popular?

Has your child recently discovered a classic author? What is his or her perspective on the differences in classic and contemporary children’s writing?

Have you recently shared a childhood favorite with your own child? How did you each respond to it?

Coming up in future editions we will focus on Newbery Medal winners (October 14) and Caldecott Medal winners (November 11) — each from any year, assuming that this designation will gain them “classic” status.

Also, stay tuned later today for more information (and new buttons) for our two new features, Kids’ Picks which will take place next Tuesday, September 16, and our fifth Tuesday feature, “I Read It!”

I hope you’ll click around to see what everyone else is reading. It’s helpful if you put the author or the title of the book in parenthesis as a reference when you link up. Also, please remember to link directly to your post, not your main blog page.

Links are closed. Check out the next opportunity to participate at our Join In page.

Children’s Classics Participants

1. Carrie, RtK (Bright and Early books)
2. Lauren@Baseballs&Bows (Where the Wild Things Are)
3. Jennifer, Snapshot (Brown Bear)
4. Tameka {Sleepy Head}
5. Corinne
6. Christin, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
7. stephanie (The Little House)
8. Bluestocking(The Tale of Peter Rabbit)
9. Sunshine (I Took the Moon for a Walk)

10. What About Mom (The Princess Academy)
11. Alyce (At Home With Books)
12. Becky (Two Bobbies)
13. Becky (1, 2, Buckle My Shoe)
14. Stephanie\’s Mommy Brain (Mouse Cookie More)
15. Carolyn – Laura Numeroff books
16. Krista (Jamberry)
17. Omie (A potty for me)
18. Debbie

19. Jen at mommablogsalot
20. Amy N.-Brain Halitosis Therapy
21. Julie (Parts)
22. Jeanette (Eric Carle)
23. Lindsey@A Kindred Spirit\’s Thoughts (The Golly Sisters)
24. Michele @ Life in the Old Pueblo
25. Mark (Nate the Great)
26. Rebecca Reads (Sandra Boynton)

Join Our Community

September 1, 2008 by Jennifer

As I hope you’ve noticed, each Tuesday offers the opportunity to participate in some sort of community event here at 5 Minutes for Books, and now I’d like to announce two of the newest monthly carnivals that will take place each month.

Kids’ Picks — 3rd Tuesday of every month :

One of the most common questions we’ve gotten or comments of appreciation have been in reference to kids’ books. Whether our kids are avid or reluctant readers, most of us are always on the lookout for books that they will enjoy.

So with the monthly Kids’ Picks carnival, you can share what your kids have loved reading that month (or let them write a paragraph or two themselves). It could be a new series that your pre-teen has discovered or a book that challenges and excites your newly independent reader. Don’t forget your pre-readers. Is there a book that made your toddler squeal with delight, or one that you didn’t mind reading over and over again to your preschooler?

I Read It! — 5th Tuesday (when applicable):

I have loved seeing books that were reviewed in the 5 Minutes for Books column at 5 Minutes for Mom or here on our site ending up on your nightstand or reviewed on your blog. So, if you have taken us up on a recommendation, write your own review letting us know that you read it. You can also link up a review that you published previously, or better yet, if you’ve read a few books in the quarter, write a new post linking back to those reviews and giving a quick recap. Feel free to offer a different viewpoint if you disagree with our original review.

Would you like to design the button for the Kids’ Picks or I Read It! carnival? I love our cute carnival buttons that people can use to identify their contribution each month or can display proudly in their sidebar to show their intent to participate. If yours is selected, I will link to your blog in the main Kids’ Picks or I Read It! post, and if you have a design business, I will give that a recommendation as well.

So, what I’m looking for is a standard-sized 150 x 150 button. It should have the title “Kids’ Picks” or “I Read It!” and also books.5minutesformom.com so that people will know where to find out more, even if it’s not linked back. Please send any submissions to me at 5minutesforbooks (at) gmail [d0t] com. The deadline is Friday, September 5. I’d like to be able to publish the buttons by Tuesday September 9.

By submitting your button you agree to give us permission to use it indefinitely, as well as assert your right to use any images included.

Join us this month:
September 2 — Pride and Prejudice Classics Bookclub
September 9 — Children’s Classics — Picture Books
September 16 — First Kids’ Picks carnival
September 23 — What’s on Your Nightstand?
September 30 — Fifth Tuesday — I Read It!

What’s on Your Nightstand — August

August 26, 2008 by Jennifer

I was thrilled with our first month’s Nightstand carnival. I hope that you took the opportunity to visit some of the other participants. I know I heard from a few of you that you really enjoyed the chance to share your love of books with others.

So another month is here. You can participate in What’s on Your Nightstand? in several ways. You can cover one or all of these topics:

Take a picture or simply give a list of the stack of books that you are in the process of reading or planning to read (it might be on your nightstand, on a bookshelf, or like me, under your bed).
Give short reviews of the book or books that you read that month.
Tell about what you are reading and why. I love to read the backstory on books. Did someone give it to you? Are you trying out a new genre at the recommendation of a friend (or website)? Did you stumble across a new author in a used bookstore?
Fill us in on your reading habits. When are you reading these books? Is one reserved for bedtime reading? Does one stay in your car to be read while you are waiting? Do you read just one book at a time?

If you’ve followed someone else’s post over here, and it’s past Tuesday, feel free to go ahead and link up. I will close the linky on September 10. If you want to participate after that, save it for next month and join in then.

September has five Tuesdays. Next month you will find us here on the fourth Tuesday, September 23 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

In the meantime, you can join us for our other Tuesday features:

1st Tuesday: Classics Bookclub

2nd Tuesday: Children’s Classics

3rd Tuesday: Kids’ Picks (similar to Nightstand — what your children have enjoyed recently!) More info coming soon.

4th Tuesday: What’s on Your Nightstand?

Links are now closed. Please join us on September 23 for the September edition of the carnival.

What’s on Your Nightstand? Participants