The Page and the Porch

As our kids edge closer to the teenage years, something shifts. They start experimenting with independence, and their peer groups naturally become more influential. It’s a beautiful, necessary part of growing up, but as parents, it can feel like they’re pulling away. Here is the secret: preteens still crave connection with you. They want a… Continue reading

Discover why I created The Family Book Club Companion to trade stressful reading logs for authentic pre-teen connection. Learn how this low-pressure, chapter-by-chapter strategy cultivates a genuine love for stories, builds deep empathy, and turns independent reading into a shared family experience right at your kitchen table. Continue reading

Ditch the stressful reading logs and connect with your pre-teen through a low-pressure family book club. Discover an effortless, chapter-by-chapter strategy that builds strong readers and fosters deep empathy without the homework deadlines. Learn how to cultivate the magic of stories and create lasting shared experiences right at your kitchen table. Continue reading

Tired of ruined pages and scratched e-readers? Discover the Book Valet: a sturdy, zippered canvas pouch designed to protect your Kindle or paperback books on the go. Perfect for travel, book clubs, or poolside reading, this aesthetic book lover accessory keeps your phone, keys, and annotation kits perfectly clean and organized. Continue reading

Prepare your preschooler for school success by mastering print literacy at home. Discover what essential print awareness, letter knowledge, and book concepts your pre-K child should know before kindergarten, plus five simple, research-backed ways to naturally weave these foundational reading skills into your everyday story time routine tonight. Continue reading

Expand your child’s bookshelf with this curated guide to the best graphic novels for preteens. Discover a world of sophisticated visual storytelling that builds advanced vocabulary and deep comprehension. Check out my favorite titles, explore alternative formats, and turn your next library haul into a shared family adventure! Continue reading

Stop fighting over “real books” this summer. Backed by literacy science, this guide reveals why graphic novels are sophisticated, high-level tools that build advanced vocabulary and deep comprehension in preteens. Ditch the parent guilt, embrace child agency, and discover how visual storytelling sparks a lifelong love for reading. Continue reading

Ditch the forced checklists and 20-minute reading timers. Backed by literacy research, this signature summer reading approach uses child agency and parent participation to spark lifelong habits. Discover a zero-stress, plug-and-play framework that stops the screen battles and turns reading into a social, memory-making family adventure. Continue reading

The Magic of Shared Listening There is a unique kind of magic that happens when a family shares a story out loud. Suddenly, the repetitive chorus of “Are we there yet?” from the backseat fades away, replaced by shared gasps, quiet giggles, and a collective captivation. Whether you are prepping for a cross-country summer road… Continue reading