The Mysterious Benedict Society was on our list for months before it was available at the library, and it was worth the wait! Trenton Lee Stewart weaves a fantastic plot of mystery and discovery. Kids love reading about other children who outwit nasty grown-ups . . . and in this case, a small group of brainiac kids save the whole population from the evil plan of a plotting scientist.

When your kids are finished with the book, challenge them to apply any newly found super-sleuthing  skills to solve the mystery at the new community theater play WhoWhatWhenWhyHow!

(more…)

This is one of my favorite times of year. We’ve purchased the perfect backpacks and new shoes, and I love all of the organizational boxes and notebooks! Like you, we are looking for ways to get the gears turning in the brain after a summer of pools, fun, and sun. Phantom Tollbooth is a crazy book all about Math, but it is so much fun! Another great way to brush up on their math skills is with all of the clearance sales. Let your kids calculate the new price of the items you buy. It might be crazy and a tad stressful, but have fun getting ready for school anyway. P.S. The Phantom Tollbooth might be a great book for you to read too, it will bring back a flood of memories of math and English you have blocked out for years.

(more…)

Monster’s are awesome! Some of my kids’ favorite books are all about these silly make believe creatures. Some of the all-time great monster books are The  Monster at the End of This Book, Go  Away Big Green Monster, Where the Wild Things Are, and Leonardo, the Terrible Monster. We would like to add to another to the list of great monster books with When a Monster is Born. This book is very funny and crazy fun! After reading, take your silly little monsters to the AZ Museum for Youth, where the current feature exhibit is My Favorite Monster.  They have fantastic hands-on exhibits to help you build, create, and play with toy monsters. Make your day less scary and more fun! Enjoy reading this great book and having fun with your kids today!

(more…)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a fantastic book about childhood, imagination, ingenuity, and fun! I read this book to my  five year old daughter. Not only was the imagery fantastic enough to keep her attention, but it also jump started her imagination and she loved it!

Give any child an extra treat by taking them to a real chocolate factory. Cerreta Candy Company in Glendale offers a free factory tour. Make the long hours of summer a little bit sweeter . . .  read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and take a tour of one of AZ’s chocolate factories.

(more…)