By Kelsey Nickerson House plants are great for greening your living space—they can even purify the air. Succulents are about as easy as they come, and hardy enough to let kids take the lead in caring for them. So why not add a touch of life and lit to your home with this DIY book craft planter? Use them as decorative accents or feature them on a minimalist shelf or end table. Wherever you place them, this creative upcycled book craft will add a charming and unique touch. This project is . . .
Three Reasons To Support Black Bookstores
By Karen Williams We’re witnessing a worldwide movement against police brutality, systemic racism, and oppression against black people in the United States. The protests, inspired by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery (to name a few), quickly went global, causing a renewed interest in books, art, and other creative works by and about black people in America. Many are seeking to educate themselves about black history and racism in the United States, and black . . .
DIY Book Craft: Origami Book-Page Butterfly
By Kelsey Nickerson We’ve all had them: those weakly bound paperback books that fall apart after a few readings. Upcycle the pages from those unsalvageable reads into these cute origami butterflies. You can string them along a garland, sprinkle them over a table or shelf-top, or perch them in a houseplant or festive tree. What a fun way to celebrate nature and reading! This DIY book-page craft is easy once you get the hang of the folding, and a fun project to do with kids. I’ve broken down . . .
Wordless Picture Books: A Surprising Tool to Build Reading Fluency
Wordless picture books are excellent tools for practicing reading fluency. This crucial literacy skill is defined as the ability to read a text smoothly with rhythm, expression, and appropriate emotion—and it’s a key indicator of reading comprehension. I first came across this novel use of wordless picture books in The Megabook of Fluency by Tim V. Rasinski and Melissa Cheesman Smith, and it struck me as a great example of building crucial reading skills without directly reading. As such, . . .
Reading Fluency: What Parents Need to Know
By Maya Payne Smart In reading, as in conversation, it’s not just what we say, but how we say it that matters. The rhythm, pitch, and intonation someone brings to spoken words can convey meaning far beyond basic definitions. A shaky utterance might indicate fear or uncertainty. Changes in the pitch or speed of speech might accompany a compliment, signal anger, or communicate disappointment. Facial expressions and gestures, too, bring layers of interpretation and significance to . . .
DIY Book Craft: Book-Page Apple
By Kelsey Nickerson This cute twist on the classic apple-for-the-teacher theme creates a decorative apple from upcycled book pages. Help kids make them as teacher appreciation gifts, or to decorate their home “classroom.” You could even scale down the size and turn them into ornaments that can hang along a garland or off a tree. This DIY book craft is inexpensive and fun! Ideally, you’ll use an exacto knife and hot glue gun, so be aware that you’ll need to do those steps for younger . . .
DIY Book Craft: Book Page Pinwheel Banner
By Kelsey Nickerson Making your own streamers and decorations out of recycled paper is a beautiful way to keep birthday parties and other happenings eco-friendly. This DIY pinwheel banner upcycles book pages to create some cute lit-themed decor for your next event or photo shoot. Create an elegant black-and-white look with plain-text pages and white ribbon, or add some festive color with bright ribbon or illustrated pages (obsolete encyclopedias and nature guides can be great . . .
The Ultimate Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids from A to Z
By Karen Williams By nature, children are learners and discoverers. But there are some crucial skills—like letter shapes, names, and sounds—that parents should teach rather than wait for kids to sort out on their own. And the more fun and light-hearted the approach, the better. Try this neighborhood scavenger hunt activity to engage kids and have family fun outdoors. Getting outside, moving around, and boosting letter engagement is a win-win-win. Benefits include: Affordability. You . . .
DIY Book Craft: Painted Brick Bookend
By Kelsey Nickerson Bookends are among our favorite DIY book crafts. Not only are they a must-have for any book-loving household—they’re also an awesome secret weapon for getting kids to read. Just bookend a selection of tempting titles on a table or anywhere kids will come across them, then let their curiosity do the rest. We also love bookends for breaking up a book collection into reading levels and subject areas, like fiction genres or nonfiction topics. And when your library . . .
DIY Book Craft: Literary-Themed Paper Hydrangeas
By Kelsey Nickerson Why not bring a touch of spring into your home, with some reading-themed floral decor? These DIY book-page hydrangeas offer a literary twist on classic paper flowers. Display them around the house or feature them as centerpieces at a festive meal. You can even mix them with real flowers to create a distinctive bouquet. Tip: These delicate blooms can make unique decorations for a child’s birthday, spotlighting literacy and nature in one pretty package. (Complete the . . .