We are always looking for books to add to our To Be Read list. We look for books of all levels: picture books, beginner chapter books, middle-grade fiction, and books that busy moms can enjoy. Figuring I can’t possibly be the only one out there who is hunting for good reads for a variety of age levels, I put together a list each month of the books my family has been reading. Sometimes our thoughts on them will be gushy and glowy. Other times they’ll be lukewarm. Either way, we’ll let you know if we think they’re worth your time.

I can’t believe it’s March already! February seemed to fly by, but we did manage to squeeze in some good reads…

Combining a book and a craft is a great way to nurture a lifelong love of reading.This open-ended invitation to create after reading The Gingerbread Man and the Leprechaun Loose at School was a big hit!

One of my favorite ways to get my kids excited about reading is to keep the story going after we’ve closed up a book. Sometimes that means asking questions about what they think might happen next or what would have happened if one little piece of the story went differently. Other times, it means taking my daughter’s idea and helping her make it come to life.

When Ellie and I were reading The Gingerbread Man and the Leprechaun Loose at School by Laura Murray, Ellie was convinced that she could do a much better job of catching the mischievous little leprechaun. In the story, a leprechaun visits the Gingerbread Man’s school and goes on a mess-making spree. The students and their teacher try to catch him and clean up his mess but with no luck. While everyone else is at lunch, the Gingerbread Man decides to go on a solo mission to track that little prankster down.

After stumbling upon a couple of big messes, the Gingerbread Man finally puts together the perfect idea for a trap. Once he catches the leprechaun, the Gingerbread Man makes him clean up all of his messes before he goes on his way.

Ellie enjoyed the suspense of wondering what mischief the leprechaun would get into next and she enjoyed giving detailed descriptions about how things could be improved (both the leprechaun’s mischief and trying to find that little bugger).

What better way to build off of that enthusiasm than letting her build her own leprechaun trap?

Majestically Awkward: the podcast for socially awkward people by socially awkward people, that hopes to leave you feeling just a little less awkward. No promises though. 😉

In this week’s episode, we talk about superstitions and the weird things we’ve done because of them (spoiler: a lot of them involve sports). We also talk a little bit about some of the weird superstitions around the world.

Next, we play Is This for Real? with song titles (which leads Tim to go into long and rambling stories about concerts he’s been to… and Janine and I to give him shit about it).

Lastly, Janine shares an awkward story about an incident in fifth grade that kept her from ever getting a waitressing job.

As always, our show is not safe for kids. Our potty mouths flow freely and we discuss adult topics that I wouldn’t want my kids hearing.

Also, if you’d like to play along with us for our Is This for Real? segment, don’t scroll down until after you listen. There are spoilers ahead!

A tween book review of the new middle-grade fiction action-adventure book Legends of the Lost Causes—which stars zombie outlaws and a ragtag gang of orphans.

We love fantasy novels around here. Give us a little magic and adventure and we. are. there. Well, this week, a brand new middle-grade fantasy novel hit bookshelves. And this one has an interesting twist: it’s set in the Wild West! I was intrigued.

Legends of the Lost Causes is the first book in a new series by debut authors Brad McLelland and Louis Sylvester. Here’s a summary from the publisher:

“A band of orphan avengers. A cursed stone. A horde of zombie outlaws.

This is Keech Blackwood’s new life after Bad Whiskey Nelson descends upon the Home for Lost Causes and burns it to the ground.

With his home destroyed and his family lost, Keech will have to use the lessons he learned from Pa Abner to hunt down the powerful Char Stone. Luckily, he has the help of a ragtag team of orphans. Together, they’ll travel through treacherous forests, fight off the risen dead, and discover that they share mysterious bonds as they search for the legendary stone. Now it’s a race against the clock, because if Bad Whiskey finds the stone first… all is lost.”

Since my 11-year-old daughter has been deep into fantasy novels lately (Harry Potter and Percy Jackson are constantly battling it out to be her faves), I jumped at the chance to have her review this one when Macmillan offered to send us a copy. I was really interested to see how the Western aspect of it would work for her. Here’s what she had to say.

Glimpses of Motherhood is a series that offers a small peek into the lives of moms from all different places and walks of life. The women give us a look at what life is like for them while also serving up recommendations and getting a little vulnerable. My hope is that these posts make you feel connected and understood, while also seeing the ways other women live their lives differently than yours.

I stumbled upon Raquel Harbin and The Cool Mom’s Blog through Instagram a few months ago and was instantly smitten with her emphasis on self care. She may be a busy momma to three under five, but she always remembers to take care of herself—and constantly reminds her followers to do the same. Take this caption from a recent Instagram post:

“After a long week, I plan on staying in a robe all day, giving myself a manicure and having a movie marathon with the kids. Days like this are necessary for me to be a better mom. You know, filling my cup and all that. How are you going to fill your cup this weekend?”

I love that Raquel shows off different facets of motherhood: some days she posts a photo looking fierce in thigh-high boots or a full face of makeup. Other days she’s all coffee and top knots. The contrast reminds us mommas that we’re not all one or the other. Instead, it’s about finding our balance.

I wanted to learn more about her and how she manages that delicate balancing act.