Book list
Bedtime Books: Building a Calm Reading Routine from Baby to Big Kid
How to make books part of a bedtime routine, how to read for winding down, how to choose calm books, and bedtime picks from board books to chapter books.
All guides
Practical, sourced guides for choosing and sharing children’s books — organized by purpose.
Book lists
Book list
Books for Big Feelings: Picture Books and Early Readers About Emotions
Picture books and early readers that help children name anger, sadness, worry, separation, grief and frustration, with how to read them: pause, name, validate.
Book list
Books for National Hispanic Heritage Month, by Age
Picture books, biographies and novels for National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15), organized by age, with classroom and family ideas for year-round use.
Book list
Children's Books About Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement
Picture books, biographies and novels about Dr. King and the civil rights movement by age, with guidance for honest conversations and primary sources to pair.
Book list
Graphic Novels for Kids: Why They Count and How to Read Them Together
Why graphic novels are real reading, how to read comics with a child (panels, gutters, reading order), and graphic novels from early readers to teens.
Book list
New York City in Children's Books: Picture Books to Teen Novels Set in the City
Children's books set in New York City, from Brooklyn picture books to Manhattan mysteries and Harlem verse, plus a neighborhood reading-walk activity.
Book list
Verse Novels for Young Readers: Stories Told in Poems
What novels in verse are, why they can suit hesitant readers, how to read them aloud, and verse novels for middle-grade readers and teens.
Seasonal guides
Seasonal guide
Giving Children's Books as Gifts: An Age-by-Age Guide
How to choose, inscribe and present a children's book gift, with age-by-age picks from babies to teens and simple activities to pair with each book.
Age guides
Age guide
Books for Ages 6 to 8: From Picture Books to Early Readers and Chapter Books
How children move from picture books to early readers and first chapter books, how to spot a good beginning reader, and how to keep reading aloud.
Age guide
Books for Ages 9 to 12: A Guide to Middle Grade Reading
What middle grade means, the wide range of maturity within it, graphic and verse novels as real reading, heavier themes, and why read-aloud still matters.
Age guide
Books for Babies and Toddlers: What to Choose and How to Share Them
What babies and toddlers get from books, what to look for in a first book, how to read with a child who chews or wiggles, and a starter shelf.
Age guide
Books for Preschoolers: Picture Books, Rhyme, and Real Conversation (Ages 3–5)
How to choose and share books with three- to five-year-olds: picture books, rhyme and sound play, asking good questions, longer stories, and first nonfiction.
Age guide
Books for Teens: A Short Guide to Young Adult Reading
How young adult books differ from middle grade, how to support a teen reader's independence, and a small shelf of teen titles with content notes.
Reading & literacy
Reading & literacy
Choosing Just-Right Books: Matching Books to Readers Without Obsessing Over Levels
How to find books that fit a child: read-aloud level vs. independent level, quick informal checks like the five-finger test, and balancing stretch and comfort reads.
Reading & literacy
Family Reading Routines: How to Build a Daily Reading Habit That Lasts
Practical ways to make reading a daily family habit: time anchors, books within reach, modeling, audiobooks and screens, siblings of different ages, busy weeks.
Reading & literacy
Helping Reluctant Readers: What to Try When a Child Says They Hate Reading
How to tell 'won't' from 'can't', use choice, graphic novels, humor and series, lower the pressure, and know when to ask the school about a reading evaluation.
Reading & literacy
How to Read Aloud to Children: Techniques for Every Age, from Babies to Confident Readers
Practical read-aloud techniques by age — voice, pace, pausing, pointing, predicting, rereading — plus how to read aloud to kids who already read on their own.
Reading & literacy
Reading Comprehension Activities at Home: Low-Prep Ideas by Age
Simple ways to build reading comprehension at home: picture walks, predictions, retelling with props, story maps, character interviews and wondering questions.
Reading & literacy
Reading in Bilingual and Multilingual Families: Home Language, Dual-Language Books and More
Why reading in your home language matters, how to use bilingual and translated books, books about families living across languages, and how the library can help.
Reading & literacy
Story Time for Toddlers and Preschoolers: How to Run One at Home or for a Small Group
A practical guide to toddler and preschool story time: choosing books, pacing, songs and fingerplays, participation, wiggles, repeat reading and a simple routine.
Reading & literacy
Talking About Hard Topics Through Books: Grief, Separation, Racism, War and More
How to use books to talk with children about grief, separation, illness, racism and war: preview first, follow their questions, be honest, and know when to get help.
Reading & literacy
Using Your Public Library with Kids: Cards, Holds, Story Times and More
A practical guide to the public library for families: children's library cards, holds, story times, asking librarians for book ideas, digital lending and summer reading.
For educators & librarians
For educators & librarians
Civil Rights Picture Book Unit for Grades 2–5: A Two-Week Plan with Primary Sources
A 1–2 week civil rights unit built on picture books, with a daily plan, National Archives primary sources, vocabulary, assessment and guidance on hard history.
For educators & librarians
Classroom Library Audit: A Printable Checklist for Range, Representation and Condition
A step-by-step checklist for auditing a classroom or school library: formats, levels, nonfiction, representation, languages, disability, condition, weeding.
For educators & librarians
Discussion Prompts for Any Book: A Printable Question Bank for Grades K–6
Open-ended book discussion prompts sorted by purpose, with K–2 and 3–6 versions, nonfiction prompts, and facilitation tips and sentence stems.
For educators & librarians
How to Run a Middle-Grade Book Club for Ages 9–12: Agendas, Norms and Question Sets
Run a book club for ages 9–12: choosing titles with students, roles, pacing, norms, a sample agenda, questions for three novels, and handling sensitive content.
For educators & librarians
How to Run a Reading Challenge That Builds Joy, Not Point-Chasing
Design a classroom, library or family reading challenge around choice, variety and celebration, with inclusive rules for audiobooks, rereading and read-alouds.
For educators & librarians
Winter Science Picture Book Unit for K–3: Snowflakes, Ice and Animals in Winter
A one-week K–3 winter unit pairing four picture books with observation journals, snow and ice investigations, and animal adaptations, with sourced facts.