Parent Education
High quality contemporary picture books are works of art and the best way I know to teach visual literacy and dive deeply into critical thinking and discussion with both the very young,…
READ MOREI have been reading Planning With Kids for a very long time now, since I had PudStar in 2008. Nicole Avery’s incredibly successful blog and website has always been one of my…
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I have been a teacher librarian for over fifteen years, a teacher for twenty years and have been involved in the children’s and YA book industry in Australia for even longer, thanks…
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This week I was so fortunate to host Jacqueline Harvey at school and, as on previous visits, she captivated students and staff alike with her enthusiasm, wit and wisdom. If you ever…
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When I was first time around mother I did baby yoga for months on end and had long leisurely lunches with the ladies afterwards; those were the days (and they are long…
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Each year around this time I publish a list of magazines for kids – good ones for aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents to gift to little people for Christmas. Magazines are the gift…
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I have done a few blog posts now, and spoken on 612ABC, about books which focus on the Autism Spectrum. However I am no expert in this area and a firm believer…
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I don’t agree with standardized testing such as NAPLAN, but at this point there is no avoiding it, so I will at least use the data to shine a light on an…
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Tonight was our first meeting of the year for Girl Zone Book Club – a group I run for Year Six students and a significant woman in their life – mother, aunt,…
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Someone asked yesterday on Facebook if I had any books to help explain autism to a high functioning ASD pre-teen. Well yes indeed I do! I’ve actually been asked this question a…
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Slow Communication: Snail Mail I am an out and out social media lover and my phone bings and dings at me day and night with emails from five different accounts. It would…
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The Ever so Sociable Reader (or ‘How to Stop Freaking-Out at the Amount of Time Your Child Spends Reading. Alone) Reading is oft considered a solitary pursuit; sitting alone in one’s private…
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Must-Have Children’s Books on Grief, Empathy and Feelings Talking with David Curnow on 612ABC Brisbane about books which explore feelings and in particular those which support young people who have experienced grief. Listen to…
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Celebrity Gardeners and Books for Young Eco Warriors Isn’t it lovely when you meet a ‘celebrity’ in real life and they are exactly as you imagined them? ChickPea and I were fortunate enough…
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Back to School Series: Covering Books Some people find contacting their children’s schoolbooks very therapeutic and others get sweaty palms and a twitch at the mere thought of it. Whatever you may feel…
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Raising a Reader A LOVE of reading, that most important factor in becoming a lifelong reader, begins at home with powerful children’s books and a house full of words. Award winning author…
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Children’s Desks: Space to Write, Create, Read and Wonder I wrote way back when about our playroom (see here) and how we used it as a space for a one and three…
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DIY Bookshelf for Favourite Books PudStar has many books in her room. Actually our entire house is filled with many books. One can never have too many books however one MUST have a…
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Top 5 Un-Princessy Princess Books (actually there are six – but ‘Top 6’ doesn’t have the same ring to it!) There is a plethora of books about princesses and most small children…
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Audio Stories Children’s books in audio form – online stories or CDs or MP3 files are a great way for children to experience books and stories in a different format. Reading is…
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