Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Pena

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Amélie

Remember when I first started this blog and I wrote two or three posts a week? Bahahahaha! Such is life. I’m adapting to working outside the house, but now I find my time inside the house is much more precious. … Continue reading →

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, by Marjorie Priceman

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Amélie

As Anne Shirley said, “I’m glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” It’s sweater weather again, the leaves are just beginning to turn, and the apples on our trees are turning red. It’s my favorite time of … Continue reading →

Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, by Mo Willems

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Amélie

The kids are back in school! Toby’s in second grade and Elsie’s in kindergarten- they’re both in multi-age Montessori classrooms so they’re with the same teachers and in the same rooms they were both with last year. They’re happy and … Continue reading →

The Night World, by Mordicai Gerstein

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Amélie

I know very well that I haven’t written in over a month, and I’m so sorry. I even had something ready to post a few days ago and it disappeared into the nether-regions of the internet, sending me off an … Continue reading →

A Rock is Lively, by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Amélie

I had a whole thing written out to post today about how nice it was that the long, tundra-esque winter seemed to finally be coming to a close and the kids were out riding bikes and playing on the beach … Continue reading →

The Easter Egg, by Jan Brett

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Amélie

Is it just me or is Easter really confusing? I mean I get the whole religious background- the crucifixion and resurrection, and I get that eggs are a symbol of fertility (and bunnies too?) but what I don’t really have … Continue reading →

Miss Lina’s Ballerinas, by Grace Maccarone and Christine Davenier

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Amélie

As much as I try not to insert any personal predilection into my kids’ activities, I must say I was hoping my daughter would want to do ballet. Because really, what’s sweeter than a little girl in a tutu? Nothing, … Continue reading →

This Is the World, A Global Treasury by Miroslav Sasek

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Amélie

I have the following piece up over on Mamalode today about traveling with kids, please go check it out! When I was 23, I met a boy, fell in love, and we almost immediately decided to drop everything and travel together. … Continue reading →

Frederick, by Leo Lionni

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Amélie

I don’t know about you, but I’ve just about hit my limit on winter. I woke up to yet another single digit morning, and here on Lake Michigan it’s a different feel than single digit mornings in Montana. The cold … Continue reading →

Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Amélie

Here’s something I’ve been coming to terms with about myself: I am way more likely to remember something if I see it written down, and for that matter, I’m a lot more likely to actually accomplish something if I’ve written … Continue reading →

The Tomten, by Astrid Lindgren

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Amélie

I do believe we have a big winter and spring ahead of us. Here’s our deal: we’ve just bought 17 acres with a decidedly dated small house on it here in Northern Michigan where I grew up. In fact, it’s … Continue reading →

White Snow Bright Snow, by Alvin Tresselt

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Amélie

This is what it looks like outside right now. Now I know what you’re thinking. What kind of big barren wasteland of ice did you move to? But no, no it’s not a massive flat snowfield. It’s actually Lake Michigan, and I’m … Continue reading →

Happy Birthday Madame Chapeau, by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Amélie

I think it’s a record: three days after Christmas and I’ve packed up the tree. Now I love Christmas, love everything about it- singing carols, decorating the tree, doing the Christmas crafts with the kids, baking loads of cookies, the … Continue reading →

The Christmas Wish, by Lori Evert and Per Breiehagen

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Amélie

I have a list up over at Mamalode today of my favorite picture books of 2014, check it out here! Folks, I have been saving this book for a year and it is finally time to share it. I won my … Continue reading →

Herman and Rosie, by Gus Gordon

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Amélie

I ordered today’s book from our local independent bookseller based purely on its funky cover. I knew nothing about it, just that I thought it looked supercool. What a score it is, too, it is the most tender story about about … Continue reading →

I Am Amelia Earhart, by Brad Meltzer

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Amélie

After much deliberation, and I truly mean nearly a year’s worth of brainstorming and mind-numbing indecisiveness, a very important decision has finally been reached in our household. They’re going in a totally new direction than I’d expected, and working together no … Continue reading →

10 Favorite Banned Children’s Books

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Amélie

This week is banned books week- September 21st through the 27th. It is definitely not a week to celebrate. But it’s a week to acknowledge the disservice that is still done in 2014, in this country. When a book is “banned,” … Continue reading →

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Amélie

Today I’m thinking a lot about perspective. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last year worrying that this time of constant uprooting in our lives is detrimental, both to the kids and to me. My husband- meh, he’s … Continue reading →

Z Is for Moose, by Kelly Bingham and Paul O. Zalinsky

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Amélie

It’s no secret that in the last year or so, my family’s been tentatively parked at a crossroad. Our year of living off the grid in Montana was coming to an end, and while it was a wonderful experience for … Continue reading →

Mrs. Fox’s Wedding, by Sara and Stephen Corrin and illustrated by Errol Le Cain

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Amélie

One of my favorite things I’ve found in returning to Michigan, where I grew up, is that everyone here seems to have had a period in their lives where they’ve lived without water or electricity, where they hunkered down with … Continue reading →

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, by Peter Brown

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Amélie

When I was a little girl, the bookstore in my town was my favorite retreat. There were creaky, dark hardwood floors, a stately but gloomy fireplace with big comfortable chairs with vintage upholstery set up before it, and the ubiquitous … Continue reading →

Ladybug Girl at the Beach, by David Soman and Jacky Davis

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Amélie

My husband bought a T-shirt a few days ago that has on its front the outline of each of the Great Lakes. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior- HOMES. Having grown up here, it never occurred to me until now … Continue reading →

Clarence Goes Out West and Meets a Purple Horse, by Jean Ekman Adams

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Amélie

The last I left you, Dear Readers, we were about to leave our little cabin after a year of living off the grid. Well, shortly after, we packed up our ’67 caravan and began our trek across the country to … Continue reading →

The Cabin Key, by Gloria Rand

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Amélie

It’s finally June again, and we are coming to the end of our year of living off the grid. It was never an intended thing, moving into our cabin in the woods of Montana full time. We had a family … Continue reading →

Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue, by Molly Coxe

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Amélie

In three days, my daughter Elsie is turning four. She is wild and strong and smart and funny, and she is a lover of all things tiny. When we go into our local toy store, she is drawn … Continue reading →

Inside Outside, by Lizi Boyd

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Amélie

We’ve just gotten home from having spent a week at the Oregon Coast with my husband’s family. We flew kites, collected sand dollars on the beach, and had a lot of down time on the couch, reading and vegging out … Continue reading →

Young Frank Architect, by Frank Viva

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Amélie

I’ve always joked that I should make a category of “Uncle Jess” books, because some of our favorite treasures come from her. (Not him…Uncle Jess is indeed a woman and also my oldest friend, childhood neighbor, and somewhat distant cousin, … Continue reading →

Mijn Leuke Kijkboek Met Woordjes, by Richard Scarry

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Amélie

Here we are, halfway through this trip to the Netherlands. We’ve had glorious weather, and the kids have proven once again to be versatile little travelers. The eight hour time difference threw us for a loop for the first several … Continue reading →

Holland, by Charlotte Dematons

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Amélie

Is it spring time where you are? Let me assure you that spring has not hit northwest Montana yet. We are still blanketed in snow and ice. HOWEVER, it is finally spring break. Or at least it will be. And … Continue reading →

Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Amélie

When you were young, do you remember envisioning your life? Like where you’d go, what you’d accomplish? I don’t think I’ve ever had a specific calling like some friends of mine. I know people who would positively die if they … Continue reading →

10 (well, 12) Favorite Board Books

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Amélie

I realized today as I was picking up in the kids’ loft that there was a pile of board books in the corner that had mostly stayed put during their latest free-for-all up there. My six-year-old son was trying to … Continue reading →

Henry in Love, by Peter McCarty

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Amélie

My son is in love. He’s six. He is so smitten with this girl in his class that his entire being goes all “woo-woo” when he talks about her- he writes in his little kindergarten notebook that he loves her. … Continue reading →

This Is New York, by Miroslav Sasek

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Amélie

So you know those Buzzfeed quizzes that have been going around lately? Where Should You Live? What Career Should You Have? My husband, a native of Portland, to his dismay got Portland every time. Even after switching his answers up. … Continue reading →

Orlando the Marmalade Cat: A Trip Abroad, by Kathleen Hale

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Amélie

I have the good fortune this week of having the opportunity to raid the bookshelves of my former charges from my nannying days almost 15 years ago. Holy flying time! I’ve been coming across some old favorites (Oh, hello Eloise. Ooooh, I … Continue reading →

Ollie’s Ski Trip, by Elsa Beskow

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Amélie

Today is one of those beautiful crisp blue-sky days in Montana. It’s cold, but the wind’s not blowing. The meadow is covered in snow, and more treacherously, our pathway and road are covered in ice. While it is a glorious … Continue reading →

The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt. Pictures by Oliver Jeffers.

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Amélie

My, Santa, what good taste you have in children’s books! The Day the Crayons Quit is a new favorite around here- it is comprised of a series of letters to a little boy written by his crayons. Each crayon has … Continue reading →

A Time to Keep, the Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Amélie

Happy New Year! I know we’re already a week and a half into 2014, I’m kind of in the weeds still. The east coast storm and subsequent airport cancellations kept us in Michigan a little longer than expected, and when … Continue reading →

Paddle-to-the-Sea, by Holling Clancy Holling

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Amélie

I’ve lived in the mountains, and I’ve lived on the ocean, but I’m a Great Lakes girl at heart. I’m writing this post from my childhood bedroom almost a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan. It’s the first Christmas I’ve spent … Continue reading →

Tea Rex, by Molly Idle

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Amélie

In the interest of full disclosure, I have not actually read Tea Rex to my children yet. In fact, I’ve just now wrapped it up in pretty red paper, ensuring they won’t read it for at least a few more … Continue reading →

13 Words, by Lemony Snicket and Maira Kalman

Posted on November 29, 2013 by Amélie

I’m not going to pretend that I get Lemony Snicket. I was just listening to an interview with him on NPR and he is, indeed, a weird dude. But also really, really compelling. And Maira Kalman, the illustrator of this … Continue reading →

Good News Bad News, by Jeff Mack

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Amélie

Good News Bad News is currently the book to read in our house, according to my 3 year old. Every nap time, every bedtime, and once or twice in between. Perhaps it’s the colorful pictures, perhaps it’s the back and forth … Continue reading →

Open This Little Book, by Jesse Klausmeier

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Amélie

I have huge admiration for children’s book creators that change up the whole book format. I mean, obviously, I love a well written story and a beautifully illustrated book, but when the way in which we read a book, turn its … Continue reading →

Ten Favorite Books About Grandparents

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Amélie

This is going to be a hard post for me to write. I think the best thing to do is to make it brief. My mother was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor in late spring and given twelve to … Continue reading →

This Moose Belongs To Me, by Oliver Jeffers

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Amélie

In This Moose Belongs To Me, by Oliver Jeffers, a young boy named Wilfred comes across a moose. He decides that the moose is his, and proceeds to come up with a detailed list of rules governing this proprietorship. For … Continue reading →

Adèle & Simon, by Barbara McClintock

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Amélie

I remember being a little girl and climbing onto the kitchen counter to watch my big brother out the window walking down the long driveway to wait for the school bus. I remember that feeling of being left behind, of … Continue reading →

A Long Piece of String, by William Wondriska

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Amélie

As a general rule, I am opposed to wordless children’s books. It’s not that I don’t love creative storytelling- I’ll often make up a short story along with whatever bedtime story I read- it’s that I feel put on the … Continue reading →

Miss Maple’s Seeds, by Eliza Wheeler

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Amélie

On a bright August morning, Miss Maple flies home. She has hurried ahead of the flock to get ready for her guests. An appropriate beginning, no? Miss Maple is sort of a keeper of lost seeds, orphans who haven’t had … Continue reading →

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses, by Ian Falconer

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Amélie

Follow my blog with Bloglovin I rarely recommend books that are commercially successful, series-type books. Please don’t get me wrong- we have Little Creature, Berenstain Bears, and Little Golden Books spilling out of our shelves and my kids, like most … Continue reading →

Tuttle’s Red Barn, by Richard Michelson

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Amélie

Now that we’re back in Montana, my family and I have been spending a lot of time with my mother at her house. This means my kids are playing with the old matchbox cars stashed in her shelves and reading … Continue reading →

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms, by Julia Rawlinson

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Amélie

Today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. In Hawaii, the time of night when it gets dark doesn’t vary terribly throughout the year. Something to do with its latitude, I suppose. But if you’ll recall, now … Continue reading →

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