Category: picture books

  • On The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred

    Cafe Condesa in Antigua, Guatemala is one of my favorite places in the world. I loved sitting in their tranquil garden, sipping my cafe con leche, and dreaming. In my dream, I roamed the cobblestone streets of the city, taking in the lovely iglesias, marveling at the brightly colored textiles,…

  • On The Bunyans

    Family Vacation. Unlike the Hollywood portrayal, our vacations have not yet included hotel robberies, assaulting a moose named Wally, or off-roading in the beloved Family Truckster. (Although I will say that if ‘ol Sparky was planning a road trip in 2012, he would surely be driving something that resembles our…

  • On The Giant Jam Sandwich

    Class parties, award ceremonies, and the hunt for teacher gifts all mean that the end of the school year is upon us. Summer is approaching and along with the swimming, travel and general good-time-having of the season, comes the dreaded California Central Valley heat. And along with the constant sweating…

  • On The Pumpkin Runner

    If you’ve read my blog for even a short while, are my friend on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or any of the other kajillion social media sites out there, then you know that I talk a lot about two things: picture books and running. (Okay, and my cuter-than-you-would-think-humanly-possible-kids, so make that…

  • On Nothing Like a Puffin

    There are some words that are just fun to say. HOPSCOTCH.  JAMBALAYA. SASSAFRAS.  PUFFIN is one of those words. So when I found this wonderful book where the word PUFFIN appears on every page, I couldn’t help but pick it up. NOTHING LIKE A PUFFIN Written by: Sue Soltis Illustrated…