Woman reading a book in an armchair with two cats nearby and a flower garden visible through the window

Books That Captured My Heart: A List

The writing prompt invites readers to share their most frequently read book. The author expresses a preference for three beloved series: The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Cat Who… series. They encourage community interaction and recommend civil discourse while sharing literary favorites.

A young girl reading a book titled The Chronicles of Willow Creek with a sleeping orange and white cat beside her on an armchair

Free Book Program for Kids (0-5 years old) in Illinois

Parents in Illinois can enroll children aged 0-5 in Dolly Parton’s “Imagination Library Program,” which offers free, age-appropriate books. Funded by the state and community organizations, this program aims to provide 60 books by kindergarten. As of early 2026, over 97,000 children are enrolled and have received nearly 1.6 million books.

Wooden desk with digital tablet showing colorful floral artwork, art supplies, plants, and a mug reading 'CREATE & SHINE'

My Big Book of Free & Safe Online Kid Stuff

This blog post offers a curated list of safe, free online activities for families, including arts, crafts, educational games, and interactive learning platforms. Each resource is reviewed for security and updated regularly. Readers are encouraged to share their favorite sites and report any dead links to keep the list dynamic.

I am grateful I can read.

#ProjectZen #Day2 #GratitudeProject My mother instilled a deep love of reading in me very early in life. She was an avid reader of romance novels and all kinds of magazines. I never did get into romances (although I did read quite a few “light” Harlequin romance novels as a teenager). Early on I remember Dr.…