Monarchs, Musings & My Adult Reading
Hello Readers!
I went on a walk with a friend recently and she observed that I hadn’t sent a book review in a while. Ope! I forgot to mention I was taking off August. She also shared that her daughter was in the middle of reading a book I reviewed, Wildflower Emily. I love hearing that kids are picking up books I recommend. Did you know that reading for pleasure in the U.S. has decreased quite significantly? And fewer young parents (I consider myself an old parent) are reading aloud to their children. Can you hear my teacher/parent/author heart breaking? Reading doesn’t just build knowledge - it fosters empathy, it opens worlds and it unlocks imaginations. If you know of a parent or teacher looking for some good books, please share my blog with them.
Recently, I have had friends and community members encourage me to create a blog sharing all of the fun nature and science activities I do with my kids. I don’t have time for another blog, especially with my 6 chapter books coming out this spring, but it gave me an idea. I still plan to do book reviews two times a month, focusing on STEAM, nature and civics. Yet, I will also incorporate literary/nature activities for families. More to come.
Speaking of fun nature activities, Grace, Johnny, William, Maeve, Madeline and I released our final Monarchs yesterday. My kids, my nephew and nieces and I raised Monarch caterpillars this summer. We had a blast watching the metamorphosis. Last night we read two picture books, The Mystery of the Monarchs and Home is Calling (pictured above). Monarch populations have declined around 80-90% since I was a kid. Grace was brainstorming ways to get our friends and community members to plant more milkweed for the Monarchs. Reading truly creates caring citizens. I can’t emphasize this enough. Speaking of Monarchs, a fellow North Shore writer, Carolyn Armstrong, is hosting her middle grade book launch event at The Book Stall in October - check it out!
In the meantime, I have shared a picture above of some nonfiction adult reading I am doing. The North Shore Civic Club has a book discussion soon on Who is Government? I am loving this collection of essays about the various unsung heroes who are working (or worked?) in our government.
What are you reading? What are you reading with your kids? When Grace, Johnny and I aren’t reading about Monarchs, we are reading their all-time favorite, laugh-out-loud chapter book series My Weird School by Dan Gutman. As a former teacher, it pains me to read a series about a boy who hates school, but they love it and I love to hear their laughter.
Yours in reading,
Melanie