🧺 THE BIG FAMILY BOOK BASKET - The Mommies Reviews

My family is excited to share a new series which allows us to share children’s books with you in one neat place. Welcome to 🧺 THE BIG FAMILY BOOK BASKET-Our Books, Our Stories, Our Circle That Stays Unbroken as I share books with my Circus and my Monkes. This is a ongoing series but we will begin with 10 children’s books.

As a mom, former teacher, grandmother, friend, and so much more, peace for me has always looked like a stack of books.

Not a perfect shelf.
Not color-coded rows.

Just a stack.

The kind you keep beside your chair, in your bag, on the table—because you never know when you’ll have a minute to pick one up. Not in one place in the house but in every room including the restroom at times and even the front porch, back porch and balcony.

I always thought my kids would love books the way my father and I did.

I prayed Suzanne and C would fall into stories the same way my dad and I always have.

But of course, they didn’t.

And that’s just how life works sometimes.

My dad could read over 40 books a week after he moved to Oklahoma and was living on his own. As a child I don’t remember either my mom or dad reading a book. I became a fast reader too, because I tool a class in school and in in high school, I always had one or two books going at once. My best friend and I exchanged books all the time and now I do this with my mother-in-law, and she and I don’t leave home without something to read.

Books have always been part of who I am.

But raising kids taught me something important:

👉 Not everyone connects to books the same way.

When I was homeschooling Suzanne, I was blessed to be able to put her in Sylvan, and she learned to love reading.

With Charlie, that wasn’t possible.

So we did things differently.

We used comic books.
We used games.
We read the same books over and over again.

Because that’s what worked.

Now, my nieces and nephews love books—but I don’t get to see them as much as I would like.

And with Charlie now engaged, I’ve started collecting books again—not just for now, but for later.

For the possibility of grandchildren.

For bedtime stories over the phone.

For moments that haven’t happened yet but matter just the same.

And in the middle of all that…

I realized something:

I already had a basket.

Not a fancy one.

Not a planned one.

Just a group of books sitting in my home, waiting to be picked up, flipped through, shared, or carried outside.

And that’s how The Big Family Book Basket started.

📚 WHAT’S IN THE BASKET RIGHT NOW

This is where we’re beginning:

Unauthorized Ultimate K-Pop Fanbook: Boy Group Edition, (Paperback) – A bright, visual book that pulls in teens and reluctant readers through music, style, and culture.

Puzzletopia: 100 Perfectly Puzzling Adventures– A hands-on book full of brain games that build thinking skills without feeling like school.

Little Helper by Regina Linke– A simple, meaningful story about helping and responsibility for younger children.

Eyelike U.S.A. — 400 Reusable Stickers– A fun way to explore geography, landmarks, and travel through stickers and play.

My First Paint-by-Stickers: Unicorn Friends– A creative activity book that builds fine motor skills and gives kids something they can complete and feel proud of.

My First Seek and Learn: At Home / Mi primer busca y aprende: en casa: English & Spanish First Words / Primeras palabras en inglés y español (English and Spanish Edition) – A bilingual learning book that helps build vocabulary in a natural, visual way.

Walden: A BabyLit® Nature Primer (BabyLit Classics) – A quiet, calming book that encourages kids (and adults) to slow down and notice the world.

Brain Quest: Learn to Write Cursive– A hands-on way to build handwriting skills and confidence.

Indestructibles Buenas Noches/Good Night (Spanish and English Edition)– A bilingual bedtime story that brings calm and routine to the end of the day.

Indestructibles Mister Golden Sun– A cheerful, early learning book full of rhythm, repetition, and joy.

Secrets That Sparkle / Secrets That Sting– Books that help kids understand feelings, friendships, and honesty.

The Secret of the Old Clock: A Nancy Drew Detective Story (Mini Mysteries) – A classic mystery that introduces kids to problem-solving and storytelling.

🏡 HOW THESE BOOKS ARE USED IN OUR HOUSE

There is no one way.

Some get read.

Some get flipped through.

Some get carried outside.

Some get shared with the kids in the complex.

Some sit until the right moment.

And all of that counts.

🌿 HOMESCHOOL & REAL-LIFE LEARNING

These books support:

Reading at all levels
Visual learning
Geography and culture
Fine motor skills
Emotional understanding
Independent exploration

No pressure.

No strict structure.

Just opportunities.

🌳 TAKE READING OUTSIDE

One of the best things you can do with any of these books:

👉 Take them outside.

Read:

Under a tree
On the porch
At a picnic table
Inside a blanket fort
On a patch of grass

Let kids move.

Let them talk.

Let them snack.

Let them come and go.

That’s still reading.

🥪 SIMPLE BOOK + SNACK IDEA

You don’t need anything fancy:

Crackers
Popcorn
Fruit snacks
Juice or tea

Put a book beside it and you’ve created a moment.

🖍️ THE BOOK BASKET RULE (FOR ANY FAMILY)

Pick a book any book from the list and read it then reward your children with a comic book or graphic novel
Spend a few minutes with the book treat it like a new friend and get to know it
Talk about one thing in the book with your parents or children
Add a snack, drawing, or walk
Come back later

That’s it.

💡 MOM HACKS / DAD TIPS / TEEN REALITY

Mom Hack: Leave the book out where it can be seen. That matters more than telling kids to read.

Dad Tip: Sit next to the books and just talk about what you see.

Teen Reality: You don’t have to read every word. Looking counts.

💛 WHY THIS SERIES EXISTS

Because not every family: