If you're like me, you absolutely ADORE seahorses. From their quirky shape to their unique parenting to their ability to hide within plain sight, they are one of my favorite creatures. I was so very pleased to read a new book ENTIRELY about seahorses by author Sara T. Behrman and illustrated by Melanie Mikecz: The Sea Hides a Seahorse. It is packed full of beauty, knowledge, and creativity. 

Naples Art Institute is thrilled to announce the opening of "Childhood Classics: 100 Years of Children's Book Illustrations" on May 11, 2024. This exhibition celebrates children's literature's rich history and enduring impact by showcasing the illustrations and illustrators behind beloved stories.

I'm so excited to share an extraordinary, hilarious new book...and an interview with the author! Matt Sprouts And The Curse Of The Ten Broken Toes, written by educator and master storyteller Matt Eicheldinger, is SUCH a joy to read. 

The desire a parent feels to protect their child is instinctive, consuming, and, sometimes, misguided.

Recently, I was inspired to read again. I haven’t sat down and read a truly inspiring, breathtaking book in over a year. I listen to audiobooks for the most part, and then reread the physical copy! I read four amazing books this November and December; I’d love to give mini reviews for all of them.

Reading is a pastime now hundreds of years old, and it has firmly cemented its place as one of the most all-round beneficial hobbies to have. Research profiled by the Reader’s Digest shows how reading can make you happy and enhance cognitive ability, but make you live longer, too—people who read for just 30 minutes a day lived up to 2 years longer than their peers. 

One of the very best things about reading is starting. Whether it’s with your own kids, your classroom, or kids you know and love, watching them make connections and learn is magical. You might choose to read to them with books you’ve known and loved for years, or embark with new discoveries. 

I recently discovered an incredible and important new book series by writer Lisa Sterne, called Onyx Says. The series is designed to help children develop coping skills while creating themselves. The first book, What If I Try, gave me goosebumps when I first read it, and I teared up to think of the powerful way that Onyx helps kids help themselves. It's an excellent and fun read, both inspiring and full of joy. Highly recommended! 

This is a popular refrain about author Patricia Leavy: She's done it again!