January is here, and the rush of the holidays is over. As we settle into the calm of winter, it’s the perfect time to take a moment to reflect on all the good things in our lives. For us, these include family, friends, and you—our readers—who enjoy all the stories about the Nocturnals .

The holidays may be a hectic time of year, but all you need is a little creativity to celebrate the season with those you love. Here are twelve days’ worth of activities to get you in the holiday spirit and connect you with your family and friends—wherever they may be.

This fall season has brought a few new middle grade animal books into our lives! If you like The Nocturnals: The Mysterious Abductions for its lovable characters, its mystery and adventure, and its demonstration of courage and other SEL themes, check out these three new animal-filled chapter books...

I often start my virtual school and library visits with that simple question: How are you feeling today? Whether kids respond with happy, bored, excited, or even sad, the question invites a deeper conversation about their feelings and attention to their mental states. I then share stories from my early reader collection of books in which The Nocturnals characters, through actions and emotions of their own, model emotions that students often feel but find confusing or hard to express. Kids can relate to moments when Tobin the pangolin is nervous, when Bismark the sugar glider is loud and excited, or when Dawn the fox feels quiet and thoughtful.
 

With back-to-school just around the corner, it’s a great time to talk to kids about friendships, especially after this past year when many schools and schedules had disruptions. Kids may be apprehensive about rekindling old friendships, thoughtful about making new friends, or even nervous about how potential school disruptions this upcoming year may factor into their friendships...

It’s summer! Time to let go and enjoy—especially this summer. It hasn’t been the easiest year. Parents and kids both deserve to have some fun. But there’s also a lot of talk about "learning loss" resulting from pandemic year accommodations, not to mention the normal summer slide that can happen any year. Here are some tips to help make summer reading with the Tails & Tales theme more exciting not only for kids but for the whole family.

The Kindness Game was developed by Fabled Films Press to support literacy skills and social and emotional learning. The game is ideal for incorporating into bullying prevention programs and concludes with a student-lead exercise in identifying kind words and behaviors to promote a culture of kindness in schools and libraries.

February is Black History Month! Celebrate Black authors and illustrators (this month and every month) with these three books: the first book in a middle-grade series, a picture book, and a graphic novel. These stories invite readers into diverse experiences of everyday life that extol the strength of family and friendship.

Today is World Wombat Day! So we’re introducing you to our newest nocturnal friend: Walter the Wombat. The Nocturnal Brigade meets Walter in The Weeping Wombat, the latest book in our Grow & Read early reader collection.

Now that kids are in school—whether in person, remote, or both—let’s talk about an issue they experience in some way: bullying. Yes, bullies are a fact of life. Everybody encounters bullying at some point or other, either as the target, the bully, or both. (People are complicated!) You can find bullies in the schoolyard, in the office, on social media, and on the news.

Feelings can be hard to navigate, especially when we go through multiple feelings day to day. In turn, teaching children healthy ways to identify, communicate, and express their feelings can be just as difficult! So we’ve rounded up four children’s books to help kids understand their feelings and learn different ways to express them. Each book includes key social emotional learning (SEL) lessons. Read these books and have a “Feelings Check-In” with your family.

Do you want to draw characters from The Nocturnals? Follow easy step-by-step instructions on the How-to-Draw Bismark the Sugar Glider Activity to create your own version of Bismark. You can even experiment with drawing different facial expressions for him!

The Summer 2020 Reading Theme is  "Imagine Your Story", which celebrates mythology, fairy tales, and folktales and encourages young readers to create their own stories.

Has working from home made it hard to find a good work-life balance? Are you feeling out of step with the rhythm of your home life? Every relationship needs recharging. Sometimes small, simple changes can reinforce the deep, meaningful bonds with our loved ones, including our kids. Here are some ideas on how to reconnect.

First, let me be clear—I am a terrible tutor, a lifelong resenter of housework, a decent but wildly disinterested cook, and yet I, like many of you, am in week eight of quarantine. But I am surviving! Not thriving, but surviving. Here are my tips:

Each year, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd—a tradition that started in 1970, when the public began to realize the serious ecological problems threatening our planet. 2020’s campaign is focused on climate action. In honor of Earth Day, we have created a Nocturnals’ matching activity for you and your child. Match the endangered animals to their geographic location, then check out the following resources to discover how you can help save these unique species!

In The Best Burp, Bismark, Tobin, and their new friend Bink listen to Dawn when she asks them to reflect on the etiquette of their burp-off. Together, all the friends help each other grow into their best selves.

Looking for ways to connect with friends and loved ones while maintaining social distance? Try playing The Nocturnals Bingo over FaceTime or Zoom!