Chess!

Some of my family members have fallen in love with chess. It gets played every single day around here (often more than once) and it's talked about even more. Here are the books and supplies my family has enjoyed. 

Chess boards: Magnetic travel board // No Stress Chess (great for beginners!) // We also have a special board my grandpa fixed up but I cant link to that 😊

Books: Always, Clementine // Chess: 5,334 Problems, Combinations and Games  // Chess: Easy Steps to Play Your Best Game // Chess for Dummies // Chess for Kids by Jennifer Kemmeter // The Complete Book of Chess Strategy by Jeremy Silman // Elsa's Chessboard // My Name is Tani 

Movies: The Search for Bobby Fisher

Apps: Chess.com app // Chess clock 

Ballet picture books we love

Angelina Ballerina (secular)... This cute little mouse series is a lot of fun and has turned into quite the little empire! There is also a TV show and we have a few of the leveled readers, too. 

Ballewiena (secular)... An adorable wiener dog who loves ballet?! Yes, please! Big hit with my youngest. 

Brave Ballerina (secular, nonfiction)... Anither favorite, this one is a simple rhyming book with lots of dance illustrations and a great look at race in the history of ballet.

Chasing Degas (secular)... Just plain fun! I love Degas' ballet paintings so fun for me to read. 

The Crab Ballet (secular)... Fun addition to a marine biology unit!

Danza (secular, nonfiction)... Like Brave Ballerina, this is a great way to teach race and history to a child with a love of dance.

Dumpy La Rue (secular)... We love piggies around here so this is a favorite on this list.

Ella Bella Ballerina (secular)... This series is a fun way to examine the story behind many famous ballets.

Grand Jete and Me (secular, Christmas)... This fun grandma-granddaughter book is extra fun for fans of The Nutcracker. 

Great books to complement a budding sewing interest

Five-year-old C has been interested in learning to sew! We made some ornaments for our Christmas tree together and she's already daydreaming about future projects. (She's hoping I'll buy this or this any day now 😉)

I thought I'd tell you today about some sewing-focused books I have loved... Actual sewing books I adore and sewing-heavy fiction for children and adults alike! 

American Girl's Addy, Isabelle, Josefina, and Kirsten books feature quite a bit of sewing. Isabelle isn't my favorite but I adore the other three! (See my full list of American Girl reviews here) 

Beneath the Seams... This grown-up contemporary Christian fiction novel is all about sewing! This is a really great look at the fashion industry, humanity, and balancing motherhood with career aspirations. Definitely recommend! 

The Canada Geese Quilt... I love Natalie Kinsey Warnock's writing. This one is ideal for 4th-ish grade reading level readers. Ariel and her grandmother work on a quilt for the arrival of Ariel's baby sister. 

The Josefina Story Quilt... This leveled reader is about Faith's family's journey west and Faith's quilt chronicling her chicken Josefina's life. 

Little House books are filled with sewing stories and are probably the very reason she wanted to learn! We've enjoyed the full series as audio books read by Cherry Jones, B loves the chapter books, and all four kids have enjoyed the picture books for years. 

The Nesting Quilt by Cathryn Falwell... This sweet book is like a picture book version of Canada Geese Quilt... A young girl and her grandmother make a quilt to prepare for the arrival of her new sibling. 

One Yard Wonders... I also like their Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders and Little One Yard Wonders books, too. These are great books full of small sewing projects using only one yard of fabric. 

The Quilt by Ann Jonas... This is a short and simple picture book showing a young girl's love for the various fabrics in her patchwork quilt. 

The Quiltmaker's Gift... I love this gorgeous book about a woman who makes the most beautiful quilts but only for those who need them, and a king who doesn't need one but is willing to do anything to get one. Touching and heartwarming, a clear favorite for my family. 

Sew Dolled Up... This is a fun project book of simple felt dolls of a few styles and all kinds of outfits. 

Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp... This is my very favorite sewing book because it taught me how to use my sewing machine! It's very informative and easy to understand with several adorable projects. 

Storybook Toys... The prettiest project book! These projects are a little too advanced for me but I'm still trying to learn them because I just love them!