A Bit of Awesome

January in Western Pennsylvania can be a bit... gray. The snow has finally set in, for better or worse, and there's more on the way.

This seems like the perfect time to stock up on some inspiration.

Some of my favorite things to watch when I'm feeling blah are the video messages from Kid President (aka Robby Novak) . For those who have never seen him, Kid President is an enthusiastic 9-year-old who wants to see all of us make the world a better place. He has videos for students and teachers, videos made with President Obama, and videos inviting you to join in a Dance-a-thon.

But mostly, Kid President wants to challenge us to be better. Kids and adults can both respond to his calls for a more awesome world.

If Kid President's call to awesome has inspired you, come and check out more stories that can help you and your family be more awesome everyday (even in this weather).

The Most Magnificent Thing

One day, a young girl who enjoys creating things decides to build something truly special. So, after drawing diagrams, hiring an assistant (aka her best-pal pooch), and collecting materials, she establishes her sidewalk workshop. But, alas, bringing vision to fruition isn't easy. Progressively, excitement and confidence wane, motivation turns to meltdown then to defeat (I'm no good at this. I QUIT!). Happily, some timely dog walking brings clarity, calm, and an inspiration for an imaginative solution that just might work.


Think Big

Art is so much more than easels and paintbrushes as this delightful new picture book by two exciting talents makes clear. Follow along as a classroom of exuberant young kids explore art and the power of creativity in its most varied forms-painting, music, writing, cooking, performing ... there's no end to where their imaginations can take them!

Anything is Possible

The sheep in this story is a dreamer, while her friend the wolf has a more practical disposition. One day the sheep runs to the wolf with an idea. She wants to build a flying machine! But the wolf tells her it's impossible. Eventually, however, the sheep's dream gets the better of the wolf's doubts, and they begin to work on the project together. Through perseverance and the process of trial and error, the sheep and wolf manage to create a winning design, brought to life by architecturally and mathematically inspired paper collage art. At the end of this whimsical tale, even the wolf has to admit that anything is possible!

The Dangerous Book for Boys

In this digital age there is still a place for knots, skimming stones and stories of incredible courage. This book recaptures Sunday afternoons, stimulates curiosity, and makes for great father-son activities. The brothers Conn and Hal have put together a wonderful collection of all things that make being young or young at heart fun--building go-carts and electromagnets, identifying insects and spiders, and flying the world's best paper airplanes.

The Daring Book for Girls

The Daring Book for Girls is the manual for everything that girls need to know--and that doesn't mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it's female heroes in history, secret note-passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all. But it's not just a guide to giggling at sleepovers--although that's included, of course! Whether readers consider themselves tomboys, girly-girls, or a little bit of both, this book is every girl's invitation to adventure.