One of our favorite inventions of 2017 was the Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cooker!
It helped Todd get a hot, healthy breakfast each day using eggs and whatever leftover vegetables, meats, or cheeses - not to mention, a "Paleo-friendly" option that stayed warm for his hour-long commute! This microwavable egg cooker made breakfast on-the-go a daily reality and also helped him achieve a weight-loss goal over the summer months. His love for the egg cooker led to an office-wide interest ending with sales of over 20 Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cookers for his office.
We love this product! I use it to make oatmeal and Todd (and countless coworkers) use theirs at work and rave about how the food stays warm in the cooker while they make their commute (it fits in the cup-holder of a car) or eat at their desks.
This contraption makes the perfect scrambled eggs (2 eggs with 2 Tablespoons milk or water, shake with a finger over lid). It makes omelets (sausage crumbled, cheese, onion, red peppers) in under 4 minutes! We put eggs (with add-ons or leftovers such as bacon, spinach, and cheese) in for 1 minute, stir and then add 15-second intervals until you get the consistency that you want. You can also make a lighter version with 1 cup of egg whites with 2 teaspoons of salsa microwaved for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The eggs are amazing!
This is a great gift for college students who have limited access to kitchens as you only need a microwave to make healthy, quick breakfasts or snacks.
The Ceramic Egg Cooker is easy to clean and you don't have to add oil, butter or cooking spray.
This is another great option to make in the Ceramic Egg Cooker - this Chocolate Mug Cake (flourless, gluten-free) that can be made in less than 5 minutes! Dark chocolate chips, milk, cocoa powder and one egg yolk create a decadent treat you can top with berries, whipped cream or powdered sugar.
You can alter the recipe with two swaps and make an Orange Chia Microwave Muffin by substituting the blueberries and lemon zest with 1 Tab. of chia seeds and 1 tsp. of orange zest.
About Pampered Chef
I went to my first Pampered Chef party over 18 years ago, when my first-born was a month old! I fell in love with the products and I can say that the items that I purchased at that initial party have stood the test of time and are still used and loved! I had been a customer over the years, and in early 2017, I attended my first online Pampered Chef Virtual Party on Facebook! From the comfort of my own home (dressed in my pajamas, I'm sure) I participated in my friend's Virtual Party online while I learned new techniques, watched videos of the products, and fell in love with the idea of becoming a Pampered Chef Consultant.
I took the plunge and signed up to become an Independent Pampered Chef Consultant as it aligned with my love of helping families find ways to make mealtime easier, cost-effective, and healthy so they can spend more quality time together. I love that a staff of home economists, food scientists, chefs, and dieticians develop, test, and edit more than 200 recipes each year while creating the tools, training, and tips that give everyday cooks confidence in the kitchen. Each product goes through extensive testing in the Test Kitchens and Quality Labs.
For more than 35 years, Pampered Chef has helped create countless mealtime moments with friends and family through high-quality, everyday cooking tools and inspiration, while providing cooking consultants with a flexible opportunity to build a business around his or her own lifestyle, goals, and passions.
Please visit my Independent Consultant Pampered Chef website at https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/nicoleengstrom to learn what Pampered Chef has to offer!
Reviews of Home Chef, Hello Fresh, and Blue Apron Meal Delivery Services
Buddy can't wait to see what is inside the Blue Apron box delivery!
In anticipation of a busy season with work and school commitments for our family, we decided to try the Meal Delivery Services of three companies - Blue Apron, Home Chef, and Hello Fresh. For those not familiar with this type of service, companies assemble all the fresh and healthy ingredients needed to make a pre-determined number of meals. They provide all the ingredients needed (minus olive oil, salt, and pepper) to create meals complete with recipes selected to showcase seasonal produce. An insulated box with ice packs arrives at your door, ready for assembly.
Always ready to provide feedback, our family of four (to include two teens who like to scrutinize meal selections) prepared to review the three companies' boxes of ingredients. After 10 months of subscribing to these companies (and staggering orders based on the weekly menus or based upon our family's schedule), I feel that we can provide an honest weigh-in of our opinion of the services.
I will admit that I love this concept. I dislike grocery shopping. We have limited specialty items and an even more limited specialty produce selection, locally. This service has saved me more than once as I have had all the ingredients ready to pull together for a healthy delicious meal in under 30 minutes (for the most part). We have ventured far beyond our quick-meal dinner repertoire and we have saved from eating out as often as we had in years past during busy seasons. I also loved that I had professional chefs designing seasonal recipes that eliminated my need to stress about meal planning and budgeting grocery expenditures. The flexible service allows users to pick and choose meals that appeal to your tastes, diet preferences, and often times your schedule. I appreciated the ability to skip a week when the menu did not work for my family or if our schedule had us out of town.
Blue Apron
Blue Apron was the first company we tried and we fell in love immediately. We were sent fresh produce and organic meats and seafood that we would normally not be able to find, locally. The portions were perfect for the four of us, leaving no waste (and no leftovers for my husband's lunch). Recipes were creative, unique, and allowed us to explore new cuisines that we had not tried prior. The teens were willing to venture into new flavor experiences. We found ourselves eating out at restaurants much less as we had all the ingredients we needed. Todd and I made the meal delivery nights into "date nights" and cooked together using the gorgeous photographed recipe cards. These meals also taught us new cooking skills. One night we roasted carrots in olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt to top the salad greens as the meal accompaniment. I can't even describe how good these carrots turned out. Another meal challenged us to slice summer squash, brush with garlic-infused olive oil, followed by grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh chives. Talk about incredible! I ended up making this for a dinner party appetizer last month - it's THAT good! I was embarrassed that we had been missing out on these roasting methods for preparing winter vegetables for years.
We rationalized the higher price as a substitute for eating out at a restaurant. We recognized we were eating more healthy and organic selections and exposing ourselves to a wider variety of cuisine options.
Some of our favorite dishes included:
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup with Yellow Curry and Mushrooms - Blue Apron's version of Tom Kha Gai with lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, bok choy, and a coconut-based broth.
Chicken Souvlaki Pitas with Heirloom Tomato and Garlic-Oregano Potatoes was one of our first meals with Blue Apron and this met every family members' approval.
Spicy Pork and Korean Rice Cakes with Baby Bok Choy - cooked in a savory black bean sauce and the "beloved Korean street food (tteok) rice cakes made for such an interesting flavor combination
We found the meals to average $8.75/person but we were limited to only being able to order two meals/week.
Hello Fresh Do-It-Yourself Pork Dumplings
Hello Fresh
This company originally delivered each of the three weekly meals in smaller boxes assembled with all the necessary ingredients per recipe packaged together. Although I loved the idea of everything being packaged as one meal, the boxes didn't fit in our refrigerator. Since then, they have transitioned to smaller bags labeled with the recipe. I love that everything is ready to go. We had a few hiccups with this company missing ingredients or experiencing produce that was past it's prime, upon delivery. They were great to work with to remedy the problem and since then, they seem to have improved. The meals with this company are less adventurous than Blue Apron, and less popular with my crew.
Some of our favorite dishes included:
Chicken Pineapple Party Tacos with Bell Pepper and Fresh Radishes to include the most amazing pineapple salsa and a total prep time of only 20 minutes!
No-Fuss Pesto Chicken with Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes and Spring Salad - I went crazy when I found out that there is such as thing as "nut-free" pesto! With Bella's nut allergies, we've steered away from pesto all these years, yet these meal ingredients featured the most delicious nut-free pesto.
The Pat LaFrieda Burger with Balsamic Onions on Brioche Buns and Crispy Cauliflower Oven Fries - this Black Angus beef custom made for Hello Fresh coupled with the seasonings made for an incredible summer meal. I have always steered away from cauliflower, but after roasting the florets with panko, olive oil and seasonings, I became a fan!
Thai Beef Rice Noodle Bowls with Beef Stir Fry and Peanut Sauce - the cinnamon, cilantro, coriander, and garlic blend of seasonings made this light meal a summer weather hit.
Do-It-Yourself Pork Dumplings with Quick-Pickled Slaw and Soy Dipping Sauce - Not going to lie, this meal took a full hour to prep and cook (and that was with both Todd and I cooking via assembly-line style) but we ended up ordering these more than once. We served these to guests on two occasions as they made a bunch and everyone loves homemade pot-sticker/dumplings.
The average price per meal came to $8.75/person for a family of four to include shipping.
A Home Chef Delivery
Home Chef
As soon as I stumbled onto the Home Chef menu page, I knew that we were going to have countless recipe options that would be crowd-pleasers in our home. Sure enough, the family-friendly meal options became instant hits. We loved how these menus were also quick to get on the table. Most often, garlic was already peeled, ginger was already peeled and chopped, and portions were divided into recyclable containers for ease of preparation to cut down on the amount of time spent prepping. Although this was a benefit for our family's situation during this busy season, I also missed the idea that I was cooking entirely from scratch with the Blue Apron meals as they would send an entire head of garlic with their recipe boxes. The teens raved about the meals, and I appreciated the speed at which I could pull all the components together. Home Chef has many more weekly options to choose from and even include smoothie "kits" you can order to supplement your meal selections, seasonal specialty items, breakfast menu items, and an option to add in fresh fruit to your box. I appreciated that you can create a diet "profile" with this service and identify diet preferences to include Omnivore, Meat, Seafood, Pescatarian, Vegetarian, and Vegan and identify preferences such as gluten-free, dairy-free, low-calorie, or low-carb. With 10 weekly options, it is easy to find something for everyone. You can also select the delivery day that works best for your schedule which I appreciated, as well. You also can skip weeks as needed due to schedule or interest in the menu items.
Some of our favorite dishes included:
Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps came together in 25 minutes and tasted so fresh and healthy with the perfect amount of crunch with water chestnuts, slaw and green onions.
Mexican Street Corn Shrimp and Grits - Okay, prior to this meal, Todd and I had NEVER tasted grits! We live in the Pacific Northwest. This was hands-down our best-delivered recipe ever! With chili shrimp, roasted corn and red onions, queso fresco, and homemade lime crema - this is amazing!
Mongolian Beef with Ribeye Steak and Roasted Chinese Broccoli
Bo Ssam Steak Burrito with Pickled Onions, Persian Cucumber and Slaw
Korean Pork Noodle Bowl with Green Beans and Fresno Chili
Pork Egg Roll in a Bowl with Wontons - picture a deconstructed Egg Roll as a healthier stir-fry concoction. This was a family favorite and even met the needs of the Paleo member (minus the wontons).
Spinach and Feta-Stuffed Tart with Greek Cucumber Salad - these were one of my personal favorites as the puff pastry, baby spinach, feta and ricotta cheeses made for a meal with a huge "wow-factor" in under an hour.
All Home Chef meals are priced at $9.95 and include free shipping on orders over $45.
AND THE WINNER IS:
Home Chef
Family favorites, consistently great quality produce and proteins, and a wide variety of weekly options for menu items to choose from lead us to picking Home Chef as our favorite.
If you would like a code to try any of these delivery services for "free" for your first time, shoot me a message, and I can e-mail you a link.
31 Days of December: Ideas to Make Each Day Special
Just a few ideas of special ways to make December special and memorable...
Early in the month:
1. Create an iTunes Playlist of your favorite Christmas Carols and Holiday Music and then share a CD of the favorites with family or friends.
2. Attend the local Christmas Tree Lighting or Christmas parade.
3. Participate in an Angel Tree by giving gifts for a child in need. We not only love this tradition but also really enjoyed helping wrap presents for the local Angel Tree as a family last year.
4. Go Christmas shopping for the family with the grandparents at the Dollar Store. Our kids treasured this special shopping trip with Gram and Poppy that also includes a lunch date. The kids are given a dollar for each family recipient and then set about shopping for the perfect dollar store gift for each person. This has turned into a great tradition and as the kids get older, the gifts bring on great creativity and often times, fits of laughter.
5. Head to the hills to a favorite tree farm and hunt for then cut down your own tree. We pack up our hot cocoa and some special holiday goodies, snow picnic-style. One year we decked out the kids in all their winter coats, hats, gloves, snow boots and when we arrived up the mountain, the sun was shining and the kids melted from the heat.
31 Days: December To Do List - Our Annual Christmas Tree Hunt circa 2007
6. Conduct good deedsto accumulate straw for the manger. My favorite tradition is one my mom started when we were little. We use a Nativity set and we leave baby Jesus put away until Christmas morning. All month, we encourage good deeds by all the family members. For each good deed, another piece of straw is added to the manger. The whole family is working together to make the manger cozy with added straw for each good deed. On Christmas morning, Jesus is put into the manger overflowing with straw.
For each good deed, a new piece of straw is added to the manger for Jesus' arrival Christmas morning.
7. Light Up Your Community with 50 Ideas to Light Up Your Community with Kindness to include sidewalk chalk greetings to treats and posters of gratitude to paying for someone’s Starbucks. Have a playdate to work on working on ways that you can spread cheer.
8. Read The 13 Day of Christmas or Christmas Jarsby Jason F. Wright as a family. We are currently reading the Christmas Jars and are feeling inspired to start our own jars for next year.
10. Make a Christmas Ornament Journal to tell the history behind each ornament. Take a photo of the ornament as it is added to the collection each year and fill out a litle index card on why it was purchased, who purchased it or was gifted the ornament and the significance.
Miss Bella loves decorating for the holidays!
11. Make or find an ornament each year that represents their activity of the year (soccer, basketball, ballet) or a favorite memory of that year (getting braces, a family trip) and write the date on the ornament. One year I hung Miss B's ballet slippers from her first year of ballet on the tree with the date and her name as an ornament.
12. Wrap Christmas books in butcher paper and put in a tote to unwrap and then read every day.
13. Trace the kid’s hands on the Christmas tree skirt and date it to watch the growth over the years. I started out putting their hands in gold fabric paint when they were little. It makes me cry when I pull it out. One family has traced the kids' hands on the back of their tree skirt with a Sharpie pen on the bottom of their tree skirt to keep track of the changes.
14. Draw names to make an "Angel Gift" for the person you drew. The rules are that the supplies cannot cost more than $10 and the gift has to be handmade.
15. Display a photo in a frame for every single Christmas to be on display all month.
The first year as a newly blended family, I loved the idea of color-coordinated outfits!
16. Put a nail with a ribbon on the tree. Poem: "This is the Christmas Nail. It is to be hung on a sturdy branch, a branch near the trunk, a branch that will hold such a spike without being noticed by well-wishers dropping by to admire one's tinseled tree. The nail is know only to the home that hangs it. Understood only by the heart that knows its significance. It is hung with the thought: The Christmas tree but foreshadows the Christ tree which only He could decorate for us, with nails such as this."
18. Host an Ornament Gift Exchange! For many years my mom hosted an Annual Ornament Gift Exchange similar to the goofy White Elephant gift exchange swap. Each participant brought a wrapped ornament and after drawing numbers, the ornament would be unveiled or stolen.
19. Get a family photo taken of all the grandkids for the grandparents.
20. Hide the Christmas Pickle in the tree. As teenagers, my kids still love to hunt for the Christmas Pickle hiding amongst the tree branches.
21. Buy a new Christmas Movie and hide it via a Scavenger Hunt.
22. Have a “favorite things” party with sister-in-laws/friends. Everyone brings a few of their "favorite things" and you have a gift exchange to swap everything from household cleaning supplies and make-up can't-live-withouts to favorite holiday sweets or favorite accessories.
23. Write a love note and put it under the pillow of someone in the family.
24. Do a random act of kindness for someone at school or work.
27. Spend an evening by the light of the tree. There is something really special about having the house aglow in holiday lights during December. Turn off all the other lights, lighting candles as necessary, and spend an evening doing activities via candlelight and the glow of the tree.
28. Draw a candlelight bubble bath for your kids or yourself.
2. Treat a special family or friends to a 12 Days of Christmas surprise. The Dating Divas http://www.thedatingdivas.com/lisa-m/the-12-days-of-christmas/ has a cute 12 Days of Christmas activity that costs less than $30 for gifts to go with all 12 days for a lucky family of your choosing.
3. Host our own SUV Express! After reading Polar Express or watching the movie, have the kids get ready for bed and in their jammies. While making the tuck-in rounds, present a golden ticket and whisk them off to the sounds of Christmas music for an evening adventure. First stop is at a Dariy Queen to get a Blizzard for everyone to enjoy as you make the trek to see holiday lights throughout the town! Our kids love to vote on the "best" display of the year. It would be fun to have some type of award drawn up to share with the owner of what our family has voted the "best display" for the year.
4. For the girls – have sparkling cider and give each other pedicures for a home Spa Night while watching a sappy Hallmark Christmas love story.
For the guys – have a video games, wings and soda night.
7. Write what you plan to do in the coming year as a thank you and birthday present for baby Jesus. We store these in a golden star box and open them to read them each year.
8. Attend a candlelight Christmas service.
9. Open an early present on Christmas Eve. Our kids always get to open their new jammies on Christmas Eve. It makes for cute photos on Christmas morning too!
10. Read the Christmas story from Luke on Christmas Eve.
11. Sing a song outside at night to a shining star and remember loved ones who are no longer here to celebrate with us.
12. Prepare an elaborate plate of holiday goodies and savory snacks for Santa to include a special beverage to quench his thirst. Veggies for the reindeer are always a good snack that we often find bits outside the next day as evidence of the reindeer visit.
On Christmas Day:
Serve the traditional Christmas Breakfast: Sausage Rolls, Sausage Egg Casserole, Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit Cocktail, Fuzzy Navels and Sparkling Cider.
Sing Christmas carols around the piano in memory of our Granny.
Give a new Family Game each year to play on Christmas night and a new puzzle the kids can work for the rest of the break from school.
Take turns swinging at a Pinata stuffed with special lottery tickets and holiday candies. My parents started this tradition years ago and we all fight over the See's candy, lottery tickets and the cash!
After Christmas:
Host a Post-Christmas Potluck party the week after Christmas when families are winding down and have more free-time to fellowship.
Write thank you notes on the back of photos of the kids with their gifts, either playing with them or posing in the clothes they received. Or Use the Postagram service to send thank you notes with your child wearing or playing with the gift given to them.
Don't forget to have the kids write thank you notes!
Take a photo of everyone in their Santa hats, the goofier, the better.
After Christmas, reuse the leftover wrapping paper to wrap your holiday books for next year's daily unveiling of a holiday book.
Have a picnic by the Christmas Tree with only the Christmas tree lights on in the house.
Hold a Christmas Photo Scavenger Hunt in which the kids and friends have to pose in photos next to traditional Christmas or holiday items.
Here are 20 Perfect Family Gift Ideas for the Holidays
Some of our favorite family gifts we have received have been gift certificates or tickets to go have adventures and experiences together as a family. From family memberships at Children's Museums and the Zoo to outings and trips to take together - we have definitely made some rich family memories, thanks to family gifts such as these mentioned below.
I've put together a list of ideas families of all ages would enjoy.
The gift of time spent together...
1. These two books give great inspiration for experiences you should share with your kids.101 Things You Should Do Before Your Kids Leave Home or 100 Things Kids Should See and Do (Or Else They Will Never Leave Home)
These two books have great ideas to spend quality time together.
2. A family pass to an area pool or many local pools have punch cards that can be used on a per-visit basis.
Gift certificates to water parks are always a hit!
3. Tickets to a Cultural Experience such as a Native American Pow Wow, a Jazz Festival or an Art Show.
Cultural experiences such as this Native American Pow Wow
4. Passes to an aquarium.
5. A membership or passes to a Children's Museum. Many Children's Museums and Zoos have reciprocal relationships with other museums and zoos across the country. When our kids were younger, we had a membership to a Children's Museum and a nearby zoo with reciprocal relationship with other fun museums in an hour radius of our local museum which made for great adventures. This makes a welcome gift for young families, providing easy access to educational outings.
6. A gift certificate for a day at the mountain with lift tickets for snow skiing or snow boarding or even a beginner or advanced class. Or tickets to spend a day tubing down a mountain.
LIft tickets for snow skiing or snowboarding
7. A gift certificate for an art class or a day at an art studio.
We spent many visits at the Masterpiece Art Studio in Portland, Oregon.
8. Passes to visit an interactive garden or outdoor horticulture exhibit. We are lucky to have the Oregon Garden near us and we have enjoyed seasonal events, activities and the Children's Museum especially.
The Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon is a stunning destination for all ages.
9. Entry fees or passes to wildlife exhibits. The High Desert Museum in Bend is an example of a fun, interactive destination for kids to learn about wildlife native to high desert along with history of the area.
The High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon
High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon
10. Entry passes to area or regional tourist attractions. The World of Coke in Atlanta, Georgia, which was a personal favorite of mine.
World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, Georgia
Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washinton
11. Family Memberships to a Zoo or tickets to a game park. One year we were gifted a family pass to the Oregon Zoo and we absolutely loved being able to visit the animals frequently. We are huge fans of Bandon's West Coast Game Park Safari.
12. Tickets to Sporting Events. Connor has received tickets to an NBA game, college basketball and college football games as he is such a sport buff and has loved the special memories collected from each event.
University of Oregon Duck Game
13. Tickets to Amusement Parks. My parents treated us to a trip to Disneyland and California Adventure the first Christmas that we had blended our family and it was one of our best family vacations ever. Many friends have surprised their kids with trips to Disneyland or Disneyworld and have not told them where they were headed until arriving at their destination. I love this idea and would love to pull of a surprise trip some time with our kids.
Disneyland, Anaheim, California
14. Tickets to Indoor or Outdoor Wave Parks. We are lucky to live fairly close to Great Wolf Lodge and McMinnville, Oregon's Evergreen Wings & Waves Waterpark which is not only fun but a great educational waterpark.
Evergreen Wings and Waves Waterpark, McMinnville, Oregon
15. Movie Tickets or a subscription to Netflix. Although families may not be interacting during the movie, there is always time for great discussions after movies or during movie breaks while watching at home. We watched Downton Abbey with the kids during one holiday vacation and had such a good time talking about the characters and the historical period.
A subscription to Netflix
16. Tickets to a play, musical or a concert.
17. Passes to play paintball together. Even our girls are huge fans of playing paintball together.
These two are huge fans of playing paintball.
Here are a few gift items that can be picked up in local bookstores or toy stores (or ordered via Amazon, my crutch, during busy holiday seasons).
18. Outdoor Games families can play together. My parents gifted our kids a tetherball pole set, volleyball set and a wiffleball set over the years and they have all led to fun family challenges.
19. Family Time Fun's Dinner Games and Activities have activities that families can do during the dinner hour. These have been a big hit in our house!
Family Time Fun's Dinner Games
20. Family Games are always a sure bet. Fun family-friendly games we love include Qwirkle, Blokus, Kadoo, Sequence, Rummikub, Scattergories, Taboo, Bunco, Apples to Apples and WhooNu but I would be remiss to not include our kids' all-time favorites, Monopoly and Yahtzee. Watch out for the game, Beat the Parents if you are one who doesn't like to lose! The kids LOVE this game, the parents typcially lose. It makes for some good laughs though.
Do you know how many hours I have played Monopoly as a parent? I would not trade that time for anything.
Family Game Night
Good luck and happy gifting!
What are your family favorite gift ideas that you have gifted or received?
Did you know that regular read-alouds dramatically increase academic achievement?
It's true and summer is a perfect time to read-aloud and help your favorite kids find the "absolutely terrific, glued-to-the-page books"!
I miss the days of curling up on the couch with my kids for our nightly ritual of reading a book together. For those of you lucky enough to be in that age "zone", although Miss Bella sometimes still lets me read to her (from her teen-selected books, of course), I've compiled some of our family's favorite titles for you to check out at the library or your favorite bookstore.
When my kids were younger, I would check out stacks of books from the library and give them read-aloud "previews" of the selected books. I would not show them the title of the books, rather, I would read the first chapter or two of a book (under a blanket, mind you) and then let the four kids vote on their favorites.
For school age books starting in 3rd grade many states sponsor "Battle of the Books" competitions. Regardless if your kids participate in these reading/comprehension challenges or not, I have found the lists to be great resources for some of the best books that are hits with kids as well as educational in scope.
Here are a few links to some of the examples of these Battle of the Books lists that are typically selected by school librarians or reading specialists. The books are engaging, popular, represent different genres and typically are kid-favorites. The lists range from grade school (grades 3-5), middle school (grades 6-8) and even high school (grades 9-12).
Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood (also authors of the great Napping House series) - Younger kids love this depiction of how a little mouse will do anything to save his luscious strawberry from a big, hungry bear with a surprise ending.
Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate by Carol Diggory Shields - I love the excitement that a young boy has in anticipation of his grandpa visits as it reminds me so much of my "little guy" Connor's love for his grandpa, "Poppy" and all the special things they do together.
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen (and Owl Babies, also by Rosen) - Some of you may remember this camp hand song that builds on each crazy predicament after another but for the younger set, this visually appealing book will captivate.
The Very Kind Rich Lady with One Hundred Dogs by Chinlun Lee - You will love this story of the woman with 100 dogs, reading the various dog's names and seeing her cuddling with all her dogs.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (Any from Laura Numeroff) - Oh no! What happens when you give a mouse a cookie? One crazy thing after another unfolds and you and your readers can laugh along together at any of Laura Numeroff's crazy series of books.
What Do You Say Dearby Maurice Sendak. This book teaches manners better than any other. I loved posing the far-fetched questions to my kids as it was a classic from my childhood as well.
Dear Bearby Joanna Harrison - This book really helped night time fears disappear with the letter writing between the scary bear living under the stairs and a little girl.
Sweet Dream Pie by Audrey Wood - I think my kids loved imagining the pie made with every sweet ingredient they loved - think candy, like gumdrops and licorice, with chocolate and powdered sugar oozing out of a dreamy pie.
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson - This great read aloud tells what happens when a hibernating brown bear wakes up in a deep, dark lair after a long, cold winter.
The Hat , Gingerbread Baby and The Mitten by Jan Brett - actually anything by Jan is amazing! The illustrations are gorgeous and often have "hidden" pictures to discover as you turn each page. I love all of Jan Brett's books but these three are probably our favorite to read aloud.
Tough Boris by Mem Fox - Even pirates cry. Any book by Mem Fox is going to be a good one but this one is particularly clever and reaffirming for anyone that has had to face the loss of a pet.
It's the Bear! by Jez Alborough - Great suspense builds in this cute story, perfect for pre-school aged kids three and up.
The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Roberts - This book gorgeously illustrates how Baxter the Basset Hound comes to the rescue of kittens who have lost their mama.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by James Marshall is a great rendition of the famous story that also won the Caldecott Honor.
A Book of Letters by Ken Wilson-Max - was a favorite of my kids for years as the interactive lift-the-flaps and "real letters" invited participation into the read-aloud session.
In A Cabin In A Wood adapated by Darcie McNally - I personally always loved reading this sing-song adaptation of the familiar camp song in which animals seek shelter from a hunter in a little cabin in the woods.
A little bit older... (Kindergarten to grade 3)
The Real Story of the Three Little Pigs - by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. I love how this story swaps the perspective of the famous 3 little pigs to the wolf. Adults will get just as much enjoyment as the kids from this story.
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin - truly takes you on the illustrated day to day life of a worm as depicted in a journal.
Peppe the Lamplighter by Ted Lewin - This great historical fiction story tells the story from a poor immigrant child's job of lighting lamps (street lights) in Little Italy in the early 1900s New York City. You will love the gorgeous illustrations along with the uplifting story reinforcing hard work and family values.
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig - This classic Caldecott award-winning tale about Sylvester Duncan who loved to collect pebbles has a great moral about making wishes.
Mirrette on the High Wireby Emily Arnold McCully takes place in Paris at a boarding house blending retired tight rope walker, Bellini with a young Mirrette and the interwoven relationship between the two and the topic of fear vs. confidence.
Miss Tizzy by Libba Moore Gray shares a sweet story about Miss Tizzy, the neighborhoods favorite elderly lady and the way she made each day extra special.
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Talesby Jon Scieszka- I'll never forget my kid's reaction when I read the "S" word (which in our house was a swear word)! This crazy, silly story is just the remedy for reluctant readers and boys who think they don't like reading stories.
Fanny's Dream by Caralyn Buehner- I loved this book that strays from the traditional notion of marrying a prince and happily ever after. Instead the book focuses on what is truly important in a happy life.
Those Icky Sticky Smelly Cavity-Causing but...Invisible Germs by Judith Anne Rice - I think every dentist office needs to have a copy of this book that illustrates the germs that cause cavities and how easy it is to simply brush the "bad guy" germs away.
Grade School to Middle School
The Wish Giver - Four wishes granted to four small-town folks with no trade backs. We read this one night while on vacation. We couldn't stop. We ended up staying up way past bedtime until we finished the book. All four of my kids adored this book and all the voices that I had to assume while reading it aloud.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein - This book has made me so mad at the boy that takes and takes from that sweet tree but I love it all the same and think it is a perfect book to teach about relationships and the importance of giving expecting nothing in return.
The Islander by Cynthia Rylant - This treasure of a story can be read in a single setting and will appeal to tweens and teens alike. Set in British Columbia on an island with a 10 year old orphaned boy, The Islander spins an interesting mystery with a magical love story that is hard to put down.
Gwinna by Barbara Helen Berger - This magical book will move you with the enchanted words, stunning artwork and the story of an abandoned girl paired with a woman longing for a baby accepting a gift from the owls with the condition that the girl be returned on her 12th birthday.
Thumbelina - Tiny Runaway Bride by Barbara Ensor (With the subtitle - a quick read for smart girls.) You may think you know the story of Thumbelina, star of Hans Christian Andersen tale about a tiny girl and a swallow, however, this book's interactive questions will keep you wanting to turn the pages in this quick chapter book we adored.
Choose Your Own Adventure Series - These books can be found in any library and make for a quick read. Be sure to designate who selects or takes turns choosing different endings to these engaging stories that can have countless different stories unfolding in one book depending upon what choices readers make as they read each page.
Tweens and Teens
Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret - This book is precious and profound. It totally moved Miss Bella. She ended up selecting it as her "book of the year" and reenacted the story for a report. This true story stars middle school girl, 12-year old Peg, who contracts polio in 1949 then depicts how she navigates the initial paralysis and eventually learns to walk. This book was our first Peg Kehret book and I am pretty certain we became such fans that we have read almost all her books in print.
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz - My friend Jennifer, who teaches high school English, read this to her students and encouraged us to read this book when my kids were in the 4-6th grade range. My two youngest were a little more "scared" while reading it but they still could not wait to urge me to "turn the page". We ended up gifting a copy of this to our school library and then later bought the sequel, which is all a page-turner. This story twists the typical Grimm fairy tales into a thrilling story filled with warnings to not turn the page. It's a must read!
Savvy by Ingrid Law - What if your Grandpa moves mountains, one of your brother's causes hurricanes, another creates electricity and now it's your turn to turn 13 and acquire your secret, magical power? This must read book spins fantasy and reality into a great tween book that will keep even reluctant readers captive.
Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman - My tweens and young teens loved this book that had us reading a chapter each night followed by a "clue" that we had to receive by watching a video on the computer to help uncover this captivating mystery. Warning that this book can be a bit scary for those that get nightmares easily.
I.Q. by Roland Smith - This page turning thriller unravels a great mystery when Q and his half sister spend the night in the White House with kidnappings, spies, terrorists and bombings - not for the faint of heart but intriguing for reluctant readers to delve into, for sure!
P.S. Okay, okay - I'll admit my list has more than 25 books because I have so many favorites! I hope there is something for everyone this way. I could have made a list of 100 favorites!
A girl in love with the seasons who wants to cram as much as she can into the 365 days of the year to live a life of bliss. Welcome to What Matters Most Now! I hope you will find inspiration and recipes you love.
