Month: March 2022

“Reading makes immigrants of us all. It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere.” —Jean Rhys

Looking for book ideas for the new month? I’ve got you covered heading into spring! As promised, there’s adult recommendations as well as children’s picture books. Head over to your local library and put these on hold now!

What I’m reading this month…

Ten Words to Live By by Jen Wilkin

*This is definitely a book worth owning and reading every few years.

The Spiritually Vibrant Home: The Power of Messy Prayers, Loud Tables, and Open Doors by Don Everts

*This is another resource for families that you’ll want to own and have on your bookshelf.

Embrace Your Life: How to Find Joy When the Life You Have is Not the Life You Hope For by Elizabeth Woodson

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

*Full book reviews coming soon.

---

Picture Book List

Who knew children’s books could be so beautiful to look at and read? I always suggest getting at least 10 books to read for the month so that you are exposed to a variety of authors and illustrators.

• Oh, The Seeds You Can Sow: A Tale of Growing Kindness
• We Are the Gardeners
• What Grew in Larry’s Garden
• Spring Stinks!
• Flower Garden
• Let’s Look at Spring
• Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up
• Spectacular Spring: All Kinds of Spring Facts and Fun
• The Spring Visitors
• Every Day Birds
• Toad Weather
• Robins: How They Grow Up
• Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms
• Poppleton in Spring
• Spring is Here: A Bear and Mole Story
• The Thing About Spring
• The Curious Garden
• Tokyo Digs a Garden
• The Gardener
• Secrets of the Garden: Food Chains and the Food Web in our Backyard
• Migration- Incredible Animal Journeys
• Too Many Carrots

*This blog post does contain affiliate links. It will not come at any extra cost to you, but any purchases help support the cost of Little Roots.

St. Patrick’s Day is more than a day dressing in green and talking about leprechauns and rainbows! As parents or caregivers of children, we can use even this holiday as another opportunity to point children to the gospel. Not even sure what that could look like? I promise, you don’t need a degree in theology to do this! Let’s keep it simple, fun, and doable for all of us while looking for ways we can incorporate God into everything.

First up, you probably want to consider investing in this fantastic set by Voice of the Martyrs, The Courageous Series, to pull out at different holidays. I haven’t been able to find any books through a local library that come even close to the content quality of these. (You can also purchase books individually if desired.)

Patrick: God’s Courageous Captive

Next up, do grab a few picture books from your local library. Here’s what we currently have on hold to read this year. I usually aim for around 5-10 picture books for each holiday so that we can be exposed to a wide range of writing styles and imagery.

Picture BookList (go for 5-10 picture books) 

• There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover
• How to Build a Leprechaun Trap
• The Leprechaun Who Lost His Rainbow
• The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day
• Clever Tom and the Leprechaun
• The Leprechaun’s Gold
• O’ Sullivan Stew
• Too Many Leprechauns: How the Pot of Gold Got to the End of the Rainbow
• Tim O’Toole and the Wee Folk
• St. Patrick
• St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning
• Fiona’s Lace

Also mentioned in this post: Noah and the Very Big Boat

---

Crafts

If you have littles (or grandkids), plan one small craft. Don’t have kids? Consider grabbing some supplies for a craft, packing them in a box, and gifting a young mom.

• Shamrock Marshmallow stamping or bell pepper stamping

Supplies needed: large marshmallows or bell peppers (or both!), green finger paint (make sure it’s washable), white paper

• Shamrock craft (this craft can be used to teach children about the trinity)

Supplies needed: toothpick, tape, scissors, yarn, hole punch, glue stick, colored card stock or construction paper (you’ll need green, brown, yellow, and white) , printable template (see post for printable)

Want a chance to connect with your neighbors? Plan a simple outdoor gold coin scavenger hunt (aka these chocolate coins) with the neighbor kids and invite everyone over for snacks afterward!

Supplies needed: chocolate coins

This craft involves nature, but slightly more time (see supply list on blog). This would be a great craft to read alongside Noah and the Very Big Boat (discussing God’s great promise behind the rainbow).

---

Food Ideas

And of course food makes everything more fun! Gather around your table, grab a read aloud (or two or three!) and enjoy making some new traditions with your family. My biggest suggestion is to not make this too complicated. Choose 1-2 recipes that would easily fit into your day!

• No-Dye Green Pancakes
• Rainbow bell pepper pizza (make or buy your own crust!)
• Simple green smoothie
• Mint chocolate chip cookies
• St. Patrick’s fruit and veggie tray

---

Around the World

“There are still countries in the world today where people still kidnap others and sell them as slaves. We may never be kidnapped by people of a strange land and forced to tend sheep or camels, but like Patrick, our friends may laugh at us for believing in a God we cannot see with our eyes.” -Patrick, The Courageous Book Series

St. Patrick’s Day is an opportunity to teach our children (in age appropriate ways) that there are millions of people around the world who are being forced into slavery today. We should take some time around our tables to pray and remember them.

Do you subscribe to the free magazine by Voice of the Martyrs? This is a great resource to read together as a family and remember those around the world who are risking their lives for the gospel. You might also be interested in this resource for praying around the world with your children.

——-

I hope you see that as you gather around kitchen tables for a craft, cook with your kids, snuggle on a couch with some books, or get outside with your neighbors…all of these are everyday opportunities you can use to point your children to the great promises of God, both for those in persecution around the world and for us who might be there someday.