One of my favourite things about new Seasons and Holidays, is the books. I keep a few seasonal books tucked away, and bring them out when the time comes, and purchase a few each season. The rest I take out from the library. They have an amazing selection of seasonal books. Ours are in a separate corner labeled with stickers.  Check out your local library! 

How To Make Friends with a Ghost by Rebecca Green

For the last couple of years, we have have taken this book out of the library. We all love it! The illustrations are so sweet, and the story is so witty and cute. There are so many fun details that you discover each time you read it. This year I invested in our own copy to add to our Fall/Halloween collection of books. I can't wait to add more books from Rebecca Green to our library!

Pick a Pumpkin by Rebecca Toht 

Illustrated by Jarvis

This book is from the same author and illustrator as "Pick A Pine Tree". The illustrations in this book are so incredibly fun and unique. What I really enjoy about this story is how the theme is about bringing everyone together. Whether it is picking a pumpkin from the patch, scooping and carving, putting it out on the step and trick or treating, it really celebrates doing all of these activity together. That is probably one of my favourite parts of Halloween, the sense of community.

Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins

This is the fist year we have read this book, and it's such a sweet book. The kids adore Stumpkin! This story is about a little pumpkin with no stem on top, and finding itself a home for Halloween. The illustrations are fun, and it has a heartfelt ending.

Trick Or Treat in Canada by Eric James

This book follows a cute little Alien, traveling around Canada. It's a fun book, mentioning different places across the Country. My kids really enjoyed it, and loved that it mentioned Edmonton. The story also includes subtle themes about teamwork and helping others, which I appreciate. 

 Pout-Pout Fish Haunted House written by Deborah Diesen 

                                                               Illustrated by Dan Hanna

The series of Pout-Pout Fish books are always a fan favourite in our house. Mr.Fish is going to visit a Haunted House with his friends, and is a little nervous. This book is great for prepping little kids for Trick-or-Treating and the spooky decorations/houses you might encounter. It's also a great price point, and comes with stickers!

Atlas of Monsters and Ghosts by Lonely Planet

This book follows famous monster hunter Van Helsing as he takes a trip around the globe searching for creepy monsters, ghosts and more. This book is packed full of information, spooky and fun illustrations and more. I would say it's geared more to older kids, as some of the illustrations are quite creepy and might be a little much for younger kids.

Little Blue Truck Halloween by Alice Schertle

Illustrated by Jill McElmurry

Little Blue Truck never lets us down! This book follows Little Blue Truck making their way to a Halloween Party. There are flaps featuring each animal character wearing a Halloween costume. The kids enjoyed guessing who was who under each flap. 

Birdie's Happiest Hallowen by Sujean Rim 

I just picked this book up on a whim at the library and was so pleasantly surprised by the story. Birdie loves fall, and everything that comes with it. She has troubles deciding what she wants to be for Halloween but gets inspired by visiting the Museum with her Mom. The feminist in me LOVES this story, especially the ending. Pick up your own copy to find out what happens!

Little Boo by Stepehn Wunderli

Illustrated by Tim Zeltner

This is another pick from the library! Emery really enjoys this sweet story. It follows this little Pumpkin Seed on the journey of growing into a Pumpkin. It's a great read for learning patience and also for showing how a seed grows! 

The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea

I have seen this book all over Instagram, and it's no wonder why. It is the funnest book to read ever! It's witty, cute, and filled with the sweetest illustrations. You know how some books are just enjoyable for kids? Well, this book is enjoyable for kids and adults alike. The main character, the Ghost is fairly dramatic and is sure the woods is filled with spooky, creepy creatures. The ending is fun, and I really enjoy reading this to the kids.

What are your favourite Halloween or Fall Books? I love finding new ones to add to our collection and our list for next year!

Happy almost Halloween!

-Kassandra 

We live for reading outside in the summer. As soon as the snow melts and the grass is almost dry, we lay that blanket outside and haul out all the books, and feel that sun shining on our backs. Snacks are always welcomed too! Reading to the kids is one of my favourite things to do, plus I get extra snuggles when it's story time so that's a nice bonus!

This is a little round up review of our favourite Summer/Spring books this year. It's a collection of board books, story books, pop up books and chapter books. 

Leaf it to Dot

by Randi Zuckerberg

This summer we have just been getting into reading longer stories, like these Level 2 Readers with Em. She can't read yet but enjoys listening to longer stories. We usually read a chapter or two at bedtime, and she can't wait for the next night and what's going to happen in the story. This Dot Series is super fun, and also appropriate as we have been camping and exploring nature this summer, which Emery loves! We also enjoyed that this book was about a daughter and Dad going on an adventure, since Emery and my Hubby will be going on a Father Daughter Camping Trip at the end of summer.

We Are The Gardners by Joanna Gaines and Kids, Illustrated by Julianna Swaney

We are a Fixer Upper, Magnolia loving family over here so naturally this book made it into our collection. It not only has beautiful illustrations in it but beautiful messages as well. It also inspired us to build a little garden box of our own this year. 

Lola Dutch When I Grow Up by Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright

This second book featuring Lola Dutch did not disappoint. Lola Dutch is such a fun and quirky character and the kids love reading about her. Her imagination is amazing and so creative! In this book she explores different options of what she could be when she grows up. The illustrations are inspiring as always.

Look Up Bird Watching In Your Backyard

by Annette Le Blanc Cate

This book is chalked full with illustrations and information! It's humorous and encourages readers to look up outside and take note of the birds. It's very interactive and has lots of tips for bird watching. We already love to bird watching in our yard so this was great to learn some more information and tips.

Fold Out And Find Out 

Caterpillar to Butterfly

by Frances Barry

This children's book is something like I've never seen before! Such a fun and creative way to learn about caterpillars and butterflies. The book unfolds in a unique way, transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly. The kids really enjoyed it! But you might want to keep an eye on your littlest toddler, as it's a little tricky for them to fold back and Alder might have ripped a page, haha!

Believe

A Pop-Up  Book Of Possibilites

by Robert Sabuda

This book is so mesmerizing! Every page has a different, intricate pop up appear! It is clear that a tremendous amount of thought and design that went into this book! I would suggest this is a supervised reading book, as it's hard for little hands to fold the pop ups back down correctly. It would also make an amazing gift!

And Then Comes Summer

by Tom Brenner

Illustrated by Jaime Kim

As soon as it got warm I pulled this book out. I just couldn't wait for summer, and this book helps ignite that excitement! It goes over all the fun activities and adventures that comes with summer. It's a great way to spark conversations about what the kids were looking forward to with the upcoming season. The illustrations were really cute and cheerful too!

This is just a few of our favourite books for the Spring/Summer season. What are your kids reading these days, or what are you reading?

<3 Kastles 

This great floral dress I found at Shop the Skinny, which I nostalgically call my Little House on the Prairie dress. The puff sleeves are so fun and a dress with pockets is always a win!

What 90s trends are you loving right now? Let me know down below!

<3 Kastles 

Shop the Look:

Floral Dress (Other awesome ones here & here)

Doc Martens Boots 

Thrifted Belt

Anthropologie Tote (sold out but similar here)

Can we all talk about how it feels like it's January 57th right now? Honestly, why does this month just seem to drag on and on? I've been trying to keep myself busy and do things that bring me joy. I want to share what's been helping me cure those winter blues, and this never ending month.

First up is doing nice things for myself. It can be different for everyone but this is how it looks for me:

-Treat yourself to a few special skin care products (Pictured above is Pura Botanicals Ambrosia Beautifying Serum and Lalicious Body Butter from Niche Beauty). Winter in Alberta is long, and I find this month especially hard on the skin. Feeling better on the outside can help a little bit on how you feel on the inside too. Both of these products are amazing for adding some moisture to my skin.

-Find a shirt or clothing item that makes you happy and wear it well. This Pink Blush Pink Faded Waffle Knit Crochet Trim Front Knot Top has been in constant rotation, and I am always so happy to put it on. They have such a great selection tops right now and I noticed they keep getting more and more spring inspired pieces in daily. 

-Find inspiration somewhere else besides your phone. Instagram and Pinterest can start to look all the same after awhile, and there is something satisfying about flipping through a book. I've been trying to read more books in general lately. This Domino one is old but still a goodie, plus it's so pretty on the shelf. 

-Go to bed early! This is so hard for me but I know it's so good for me on so many levels.

-Get out of the house! It can be so easy to just stay inside but it becomes boring, repetitive and depressing after awhile. The hubby and I snuck away during the day for a date (which hasn't happened in forever). We went to one of my favourite places, Moth Cafe. 

P.s- Wearing my favourite, feel good top from Pink Blush above.

I like to share some of my favourite ways for beating the winter blues with my kids. I think they start to feel it too.

-Bring a little spring inside. Fresh flowers always help brighten my mood and give me a glimpse into the spring to come. These tulips were $4.99 at Save On Foods, which was worth it. Plus they are still going a week later. Emery also felt so special having fresh flowers in her room, and she was so excited to pick out what color she wanted.

-Swap out the kids books. I periodically swap out the books in the kids rooms, and also keep ones for different seasons tucked away till the time comes. I have books for Fall, Christmas, Winter, Valentine's Day, etc. I pulled out the winter ones after Christmas, and the kids were happy to have some fresh books to read. I also love getting seasonal books from our local library. 

It's time for another Toddler and Baby Book Review. We love testing out new children's books for you, and sharing our love for reading. We've been reading to our kids since they were tiny babies, and they both love to pick up books and read. Also since it's Holiday season, any of these would make great gift ideas. Books are always a winner! 

1 2 3 Think Touch Learn

By: Xavier Deneux

The ThinkTouchLearn series of books has been a fan favourite in our house. They do such a great job of teaching children topics like colors, numbers, shapes, etc. This 1 2 3 book is the latest in their collection and we adore how big it is. The bright colors and contrast are great as usual for engaging the little reader in. This book features die-cut numbers and shapes which help to teach the kids their numbers. The numbers eventually create an animal which is a great feature. It's amazing for introducing Alder to numbers but is also great for Emery's age for number recognition. They both love tracing the shapes with their fingers. 

But First, We Nap

By: David W Miles

I have always been about finding sleep related books for my kids. They aren't the greatest sleepers so anything to help get the idea of sleeping into their heads is a win for me. 

The Sloth just wants to sleep but Rabbit wants to play. Rabbit tries everything to wake up the Sloth, and by the time he finally wakes up Rabbit is too tired to sleep. They both end up having a nap. Alder loves this book, and calls it the Boom Boom book since Rabbit uses loud noises to try and wake up Sloth. I usually read this fun little book before nap time. The illustrations in this book are also cheerful and cute!

The Hungry Bunny 

By: Claudia Rueda

This has got to be one of the coolest, creative and interactive book we have read in awhile. It's fall time, and the apples need to be picked for Mama's apple pie. The apples are tricky to get to, so the Bunny tries to think of some creative ideas to get the apples down. There is a red ribbon which the reader uses to help Bunny pick those apples. It's a fun book for reading together and solo. I love watching Emery use the red ribbon while she reads it.  

Little Explorers: The Animal World

Written By: Ruth Martin

Illustrated by: Allan Sanders

I'm always finding new and cool to me books at HomeSense, and this was one of them. It's a great educational book for Emery and Alder. It's filled with different facts about the animals and where they live. It features over 30 flaps, which let's be honest always keeps the kids entertained, haha. The more flaps, the better! It's a great introduction to some different animals for Alder, and also great for Emery to learn some new information on the animals. 

Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes 

Written By: Eva Chen 

Illustrated by: Derek Desierto

I have been following Eva Chen and her career for quite some time now, back to the days when she worked at Lucky Magazine. Her children and mine are similar in age, and I love following along her journey into Motherhood and being an awesome, hustling, multi-talented business woman. She's incredibly relatable and honest. It was a no brainer to snag her book up as soon as it came out. 

The main character is Juno, who is based on Eva's daughter, Ren.  Juno looses her shoes before school time and falls into her closet while looking for them. It takes you on a magical journey to a closet filled with inspiring, strong, independent, smart women from over the centuries shoes. Juno tries on all the different shoes while looking for her own. Juno has so much fun learning about all the different women and trying on their shoes, but in the end she realizes that her shoes are perfect for her.  The illustrations are so magical and fun, and play a great nod to Eva's life.

Emery loved it, especially since she is so obsessed with her Elsa slippers and trampling around in my shoes. She loved learning about all the different women in the book and kept asking me to tell her about them over and over again.

Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris

By: Megan Hess

This book is absolutely beautiful! The illustrations are amazing, so detailed oriented and fashion forward! It's the story of a darling mouse named Claris who moves to Paris. She not only has the most chic style but also has the kindest heart. Despite being enemies, she helps out a Cat in trouble, and they become the best of friends. I love the nods to all the different fashion designers and how the story of Claris is about more then just being stylish. Emery is obsessed with dressing up, so she loves picking out which outfit of Claris's is her favourite. 

Ultimate Spotlight Dinosaurs 

Written By: Sandra Laboucarie

Illustrated by: Deborah Pinto

I am trying to expand Emery's collection of books with a wider variety of topics and types. She tends to have a lot more girlie books and I was excited for her to add this one to her library. 

This book has pull tabs, flaps and other fun moving parts that shows the awesome history of dinosaurs. It's full of cool illustrations and amazing facts, and is a great introduction to the world of dinosaurs. Emery's favourite section is about all the different underwater dinosaurs. Alder also loves having this book read to him but isn't so patient to wait for all the facts, haha! I keep it up on the shelf so he can't grab it because we all know he would probably rip all the tabs and flaps.

There are a ton of other books in the Ultimate Spotlight Collection, and I think this construction one might be the next one we need to add. 

The Thank You Book

Written by: Mary Lyn Ray

Illustrated by: Stephanie Graegin

This book is beautiful in more then one way. The illustrations are gorgeous and I love all the little details but the story of this book is also gorgeous. It teaches us to be grateful for all the little things in life. It's a great lesson for the kids and for us to look at every day with gratitude in our hearts. 

What are your current favourite Toddler and Baby books? I'm always on the hunt for new ones!

<3 Kastles