Imagination Soup shares curated book reviews, book lists, and learning resources for parents, teachers, and librarians. As a former teacher, former literacy trainer, and a mother of two, you can trust my expertise in children's books, reading levels, developmental appropriateness, and education. Join my community of 35,000 subscribers by signing up for my weekly newsletter!
Graduation Gift Books, Mental Health Books, & Jewish American Heritage Books
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Happy May! In business news, I relaunched my kidlit consulting business as Imagination Soup Consulting to provide personalized school visit coaching, book publicity, and website, newsletter, and social media consults. My newsletter for the consulting business gives pro tips on all of those things for free, and you can subscribe to that here. In case you missed it in the last newsletter, let's start with the summer reading lists again. Summer Reading Lists (All Ages)Remember that kids don't just need choice and access to books, but they also need chunks of time for reading. So, make sure your summer includes large blocks of time for curling up with a good book. Thanks to Camille, a teacher librarian reader, I've added QR codes to the printable lists for sharing them with library patrons or students. (Thanks for the suggestion, Camille!) Pre-Reader Summer Reading Book List 1st Grade Reading List (age 6 – 7) 2nd Grade Reading List (age 7 – 8) 3rd Grade Reading List (age 8 – 9) 4th Grade Reading List (age 9 – 10) 5th Grade Reading List (age 10 – 11) 6th Grade Reading List (age 11 – 12) 7th Grade Reading List (age 12 – 13) 8th Grade Reading List (age 13 and up / teen) Mental Health Awareness Month Books (Ages 4 - 12+)If you're facing mental health illness in your family or you know someone who is, help your children understand by reading children's books about mental health with characters who have depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, or other mental illnesses. Jewish American Heritage Month Books (Ages 2 - 12)May is Jewish American Heritage Month! Read good books with Jewish main characters, from board books to middle grade. Children's Books to Give as Graduation Gifts (All Ages)If you have an 8th grader, a 12th grader, or a senior in college, soon they will be graduating. (I'm already crying.) Gift one of these inspiring children's books for graduation to celebrate your child's accomplishment and upcoming life transition. Magical Unicorn Books (Ages 4 - 12)Does your child love unicorns? Of all the magical creatures in the world, unicorns are probably the most beloved by children. Celebrate these fantastical creatures with memorable unicorn books. Happy reading! Love, Melissa Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | LinkedIn | Amazon | Blue Sky –> If you know someone who would like this newsletter, they can subscribe here. |
Hi! I'm a Melissa Taylor of Imagination Soup.
Imagination Soup shares curated book reviews, book lists, and learning resources for parents, teachers, and librarians. As a former teacher, former literacy trainer, and a mother of two, you can trust my expertise in children's books, reading levels, developmental appropriateness, and education. Join my community of 35,000 subscribers by signing up for my weekly newsletter!
One of the most important thing you can do over the summer is ensure your readers are reading DAILY. Why? Because regression is real. To that end, here are several ideas to keep up the reading motivation this summer. Start a book club! Read a book with a movie or show. Grab my fun-filled Reading Journal. (Shown above. Interior pages here.) Make a cozy reading nook. Get a headlamp or book light and read under the covers. Read to a new (stuffed) reading buddy. Let your kids spend $20 at the...
Happy June! Have you tried to gamify your reading before? Yesterday, my twenty-year-old daughter explained to me that she and her best friend love playing a bookstore game. They look for the weirdest manga book titles. Here are some examples:Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?Because I, the True Saint, was Banished, that Country is Done For! Fun, right? You can do this, too! Think about what fun bookish games you could play with your readers. Maybe at the library they...
I'm thrilled to share a sneak peek at my first picture book, TOVA’S SWEET SOLUTION, which will be published on April 21, 2026 by Red Comet Press! How cute is this artwork from illustrator Aurélie Lise-Anne? TOVA’S SWEET SOLUTION is a heartfelt and deliciously sweet story about food allergies, creativity, resilience, and the magic of family.Bursting with playful language, cozy charm, and a dash of culinary creativity, this story celebrates perseverance, problem-solving, and the loving support...