Keslee Blalock and Madison Skye Validum to star as Ivy and Bean. Image via Netflix.

By:Pam Martin

By: Reily McGee

We all can understand just how much fun it is to play. But more and more, we are discovering there are serious lifetime benefits to imaginative play, especially for children throughout their development. What has also begun to emerge is the specific benefits of play. We can all understand how a kid who plays sports will benefit but with imaginative play, the question of how this helps has persisted. What is imaginative play? How can it help my kid?

By: Reily McGee

As we are the best state in the union, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to Colorado. So why not share some of that love of Colorado with family and friends out of state? Or maybe even with some in state who need a reminder! Here are a few offerings we have about Colorado at Grandrabbits!

By: Reily McGee

“So many parents have been saying I should try the Montessori Method for raising my kids but I have no clue what that is!” Boulder is no stranger to the Montessori Method. With the steady increase in child psychology along with continued efforts to improve early childhood education, the Montessori Method plugs a gap that had existed in that education, allowing for independence.

By: Reily McGee

A few weeks ago, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the book publisher Penguin Random House for their attempts to buy out Simon & Schuster for $2.2 Billion dollars. If the acquisition went through, it would consolidate the big five book publishers down to four, extending Penguin Random House’s lead over the competition as the world’s largest book publisher. 

The arguments being present by the Department of Justice currently are unusual for an antitrust case. In most antitrust cases, the argument presented is that the given product being monopolized, in this case books, would go up in price from lack of competition. But, because of the rise of Kindle and eReading, book prices are fairly locked in place in their current marketplace. The issue the DOJ is presenting is one of author compensation.

By Pam Martin

We parents can be torn when our kids choose to read graphic novels. They have less text, so we might worry there’s less on each page to advance our child’s overall literacy. They’re also consumed more quickly, which can make them more expensive (unless they’re available at the library, which can be tricky with series titles). Additionally, there’s less room for the reader to imagine the world of the characters. 

By: Reily McGee

We recently got Shifting Stones into Grandrabbits and I was curious. I had never heard of this game so I wanted to give it a try. What I found was Shifting Stones is a pattern making game reminiscent of games like Rush Hour and Azul. But with a twist, you can only move tiles by discarding pattern cards. 

by Pam Martin

Several picture books released this year touch on themes of belonging. It’s no wonder, as our innate sense of security has been sorely tested in the wake of recent events, which have fanned the flames of the Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and Own Voices movements. But though the cultural climate has often felt heavy this past year, the following blue-ribbon picture books help inspire young readers, while providing tools to help them navigate the thorny feelings that stem from our very human tendency to dismiss others who are different from ourselves.

By: Reily McGee

Over the last few months, many customers have come in and asked us about why we no longer offer gift wrapping. Initially, this was a precaution taken to avoid potential spread of COVID-19. But as the pandemic continues and wearing masks indoors becomes more commonplace, we are asked why we still do not offer gift wrapping.