Most families are well-versed in the power of the story to enchant and enliven young minds. We’ve all watched our kids’ eyes widen when the eagles save Bilbo, when Charlotte spins her first message, and when Charlie catches his first glimpse of the chocolate factory. The riches of stories don’t limit themselves to bedtime and…
Saving Samantha: A True Story, written by Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen and illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen, tells the story of how Robbyn and her family rehabilitate a fox kit. Robbyn’s journal entries are intermingled throughout the story, describing their care for the fox and the adventures she has. The book starts out with Robbyn…
“Books are like old friends,” my friend Théa said, as our little girls toddled around us and warm sun rays streamed through the windows of her cozy home. That was the first time I heard that phrase. It resonated with me as I sat in her living room, surrounded by bookcases full of these many beloved “friends,” perched carefully…
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh!” he whispered. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.” From The House at Pooh Corner She pushes herself up onto my lap. I kiss the top of her head and ask her what she’s doing. “Nothing. Just…
The Book of Psalms, perhaps more than any other biblical book, has a way of striking us right at our center. All of Scripture has this effect, to some degree. But for all their curious imagery, the psalms are written in language we understand: the emotion in them is raw, sometimes unexpected, and always deeply…
The library at my church growing up wasn’t very large, but I do remember the children’s section being jam-packed with biographies of notable Christians from history. It’s where I first encountered some of the names you might expect when you think about that type of book; stories about Elisabeth Elliot, Ben Carson, Eric Liddell, Corrie…
If you’ve ever spent time on a playground, you know “Can I play, too?” is a loaded question. Some days, it’s met with warmth and welcome—and other days with, “Nope! There’s no room in our game.” My daughter came home from school a few weeks ago, feeling the sting of a game that’s “only for…
Summer days can provide families with welcome relief from school routines and responsibilities. They can also stretch out like the trackless sea before the weary and overstimulated parent. Nature observation provides an economical, accessiblechange of pace. Highly flexible, it can expand to fill an empty afternoon or contract to fit into a spare fifteen minutes. Keeping an explorers’ bag packed facilitates a hasty escape to the outdoors when the notion strikes and forestalls loss of momentum in the search…
This is a very special book. As a tangible thing, it is beautiful. Slip off the dustjacket: the textured, river-stained binding is instantly worth every penny. Though candidly told, in a large, frank font, with simple words and objects of childhood, it is articulated and illustrated with awing mastery by poet Jordan Scott, and artist…
When my husband and I were growing up, our musical formation spanned from Bach and The Beatles to Ray Charles and Michael W. Smith. We carried on this practice when we became parents. In preschool, our son’s favorite artists also included The Beatles, as well as Carole King, Fiona Apple, and the soundtrack to Beasts…
There’s a rich resource I’d like to share with you, and the great news is that you won’t have to search the internet for it, nor do you have to buy it. It’s inside each of us. It’s possible you’ve forgotten how to tap into it, or maybe you’re out of practice, but it’s still…
When I was in my 20s, I had two warring identities within myself. I was a professional musician and music teacher but also a mother of small children. Why were these warring identities, you ask? Because as a mother, I wanted music that was appropriate and edifying for my children, but as a musician, most…
