Five Ways to Celebrate Children's Book Week

Looking for a way to celebrate Children's Book Week? Here are a handful of ideas:

1. Make a bookmark.  Seems I'm always looking for a bookmark and frequently find myself improvising with a found object, a scrap of paper, a hairband, etc. And, yet, it would be so easy to make a bookmark. I'm thinking something out of felt, ribbon --ooh, maybe even something knit? (I'm seeing a Crafternoon in the making) Better yet, why not put a little crafter to work on this? There are a million possibilities for this, but here's an easy printout template for your child.
2. Visit your local library. I go through phases of visiting my local library. And, every time I get back in the groove, I'm so glad I did. How about you? Have you been lately? The library in my hometown in Maine has a wonderful children's room, complete with a mural by one of my favorite authors Dahlov Ipcar.
3. Buy a new book at your local book store. I'm guilty of buying books from chain bookstores, but I try really hard not to. It's not that I don't like the big guys, it's just that I'm a big fan of small, independent bookstores. And, sadly, they are dying breed because the big guys are driving them away. I'm super proud that in Bath, Maine there is a lovely, independent bookstore called The Bath Book Shop. It's small, but Connie, the owner, will gladly order any book you want, if she doesn't have it in stock.
4. Swap a book. Looking for something new to read? Why not organize a casual book swap with neighbors? Invite everyone to bring a book (or more) to swap. Consider donating the extras to your local library.
5. Read to a child. If you have a child, take time to snuggle up and read together. Maybe read two books - your favorite and his/her favorite.