You can introduce children to thoughtful design early on with their playthings. This set of Neutraface Slab Blocks by type foundry House Industries is made of replenishable Michigan-grown, kiln-dried basswood and is a great introduction to different typefaces and hopefully a subsequent appreciation for them! Other amazing block sets by House Industries can be found here.
Water in the Park is a “day in the life” of a park and its people and animals, from the wading dogs and turtles in the pond, to the babies playing in the sprinklers. It's a celebration of community, and the lovely green space of the park that brings it together in meetings and interactions throughout the day.
In her note about the story, author Emily Jenkins says, "The story comes from my spending early mornings and evenings in Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, New York, one summer when we had many, many ninety-eight-degree days. I watched people and thought about the way the park's water is used differently by all the inhabitants of the neighborhood, human and animal." Water in the Park was wonderfully illustrated by Stephanie Graegin.
This book smells of summer and captures its nostalgia in so many lovely ways--it's definitely a great book to welcome this year's warm season.
When is a box not a box? When it's a race car or a mountain or a hot-air balloon. Not a Box, by Antoinette Portis, captures the joy and magic of the quintessential childhood experience: pretend play! The book follows a rabbit as he transforms a box and imagines it as a multitude of different things. The sparse text adds to the charm of the bold, thick line drawings. Avery's favorite part is when the box turned into a building. This book is a reminder that sometimes some of the simplest objects make the best toys. Now, where's that old box we were about to throw out?!
I'm so excited to be teaming up with Freshly Picked for a giveaway on Instagram! Their moccasins are the epitome of cuteness and style. Take a look at their beautiful selection of colors on their website--it will be hard to pick your favorite! Click here for details on how to enter the giveaway and see you on Instagram!
Photo credit: Freshly Picked
Every once in a while a book is published that amazes you and leaves you in awe from cover to cover. Currently, that special book is Maps by authors and illustrators Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński. Maps is anything but ordinary and is not your typical geography lesson. It is so much more than that. It features 52 different maps of the world and includes so many thoughtful details: interesting geographic elements, monuments, native animals, natural resources, national gastronomy, aspects of culture and much more. I like how there are children featured with typical names in each country and Avery likes seeing the different foods and dishes that are eaten in each country. This book is a great introduction to world geography and a wonderful way to engage children with the world around them.
Thanks to The Land of Nod for sending us this book!