the Hive

cover of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Gladys Hunt on Re-issues: Good, Bad, and Ugly

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 21, 2023

A story betrayed Originally published on the Tumblon website January 29, 2010 It’s sometimes like wandering into unknown territory if you’ve had favorite books in ...

Gladys Hunt on Starred Reviews

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 14, 2023

Editor's Note: "Starred reviews" are a guideline for librarians figuring how to spend the budget for the children's section. (We take particular notice of them ...

Gladys Hunt on Personal Libraries

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 7, 2023

Editor's Note: As we head into the last month of our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along, we share the late Gladys Hunt's further thoughts ...

Gladys Hunt on Stellar Historical Fiction

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 23, 2023

Editor's Note: We're wrapping up our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along with Chapter 19, on historical novels. Sarah, Plain and Tall Series Originally published ...

Gladys Hunt on Pop-up Books

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 16, 2023

Editor's Note: Pop-up books could be one of those "Fresh Ways to Read" we're considering in our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along this month. ...

Gladys Hunt on the Magical Tool of Language

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 9, 2023

The Power of Words Originally published on the Tumblon website, April 14, 2009 “If you know how to use words, you don’t have to be ...

Gladys Hunt on an Exaggerated Demise

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 3, 2023

Editor's Note: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," wrote Mark Twain, in response to a mistaken obituary. Likewise the reports of the death ...

Gladys Hunt on Diversity

By Janie Cheaney | May 26, 2023

“Teacher, do you have any books with pictures of kids that look like me?” Originally published on the Tumblon website, October 10, 2009 Probably more ...

Gladys Hunt: In Praise of Mothers

By Janie Cheaney | May 12, 2023

Mothering Day Originally published on the Tumblon website, May 10, 2009 The British call it “Mothering Day”—the day they honor mothers. Adding that ing gives ...

Gladys Hunt on “Improving” the Classics

By Janie Cheaney | May 5, 2023

Editor's Note: Our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along this month takes us to Chapters 8 ("Who Influences Your Children?") and Chapter 21 ("Young Adult ...

Gladys Hunt on Taking Notice

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 14, 2023

Editor's Note: The Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along is focusing this month on Chapter 7 ("Honey from the Rock") and Chapter 23 ("Nourishing Your ...

Gladys Hunt on Library Blessings

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 31, 2023

Editor's Note: The American Library Association may be a perpetrator of much mischief in children's publishing, but we can be grateful for libraries! In praise ...

Gladys Hunt on Pigs and Possibilities

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 10, 2023

Editor's Note: Are there any animal lovers in the family? Gladys Hunt can recommend nine--count 'em, nine--recommendations for a classic story involving not one, but ...

Gladys Hunt on Shared Adventures

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 3, 2023

Editor's Note: This month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along chapters are "The Pleasure of a Shared Adventure" and "Animal Lovers." Here's Gladys Hunt with ...

Gladys Hunt on the Music (and Magic) of Words

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 24, 2023

Editor's Note: The universe began with spoken words ("And God said . . .") and in a sense, so do we. We wrap up this ...

Gladys Hunt on Raising Readers

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 17, 2023

Editor's Note: "Literacy" begins long before a child can read for herself. Here, Gladys Hunt muses about how to take those first steps. How do ...

Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Poetry with Children

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 10, 2023

Editor's Note: This month we're reading the two chapters in Honey for a Child's Heart that address poetry. Do you enjoy poetry? Would you like ...

Gladys Hunt on Choosing Mother Goose

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 3, 2023

Editor's Note: It's a new month--meaning a new chapter in our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along. Or actually, two chapters: #5: "Poetry" and #22: ...

Gladys Hunt on Little Golden Books

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 30, 2022

Editor's Note: You may have to be of a certain age for Little Golden Books to tweak your memory, but there was a lot of ...

Gladys Hunt on Reading Together

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 16, 2022

Editor's Note: Most of us don't need persuading, but how do you find the time to read together as a family? Glady Hunt has some ...

Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Picture Books–at Any Age

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 25, 2022

Editor's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving with family and good food. Everybody knows what happens next: Christmas! And, as it's still Picture ...

Gladys Hunt on The Scent of Thanksgiving

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 18, 2022

Editor's Note: Are the smells of sage and pumpkin spice already wafting through the house? In this post, Gladys Hunt finds wonderful smells in the ...

Gladys Hunt on the Art of the Picture Book

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 11, 2022

Editor's Note: November is National Picture Book Month! Participants in our "Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along" are considering that topic in chapters 13 and ...

Gladys Hunt on Literary Excellence

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 4, 2022

Editor's Note: This month, our "Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along" partners are thinking about Chapters 3, 13, and 14. The latter two chapters are ...

Gladys Hunt on Nursery Rhymes

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 21, 2022

Editor's Note: Our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along readers are thinking about Chapter 15: "First Books for Readers." Beginning readers should be primed with ...

Gladys Hunt on Recognizing the Good

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 14, 2022

Editor's Note: In our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along this month, we're considering Chapter 15: "First Books for Readers." Settle in for some good ...

Gladys Hunt on Your Family’s “Honey Ratio”

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 7, 2022

Editor's Note: During this month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along, we'll consider Chapter 2: "Milk and Honey," and Chapter 15: "First Books for Readers." ...

Gladys Hunt on the Very Earliest Readers

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 30, 2022

Editor's Note: In our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along this month, we're looking at four chapters, including Chapter 12: "A Child's First Books." What ...

Gladys Hunt on Longing for Home

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 23, 2022

Editor's Note: Four years ago, Redeemed Reader obtained the rights to republish several original blogs by the late Gladys Hunt, author of the classic children's ...

"Hurray for Re-Issues!" by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 1, 2018

A tribute to classic picture books, recently re-issued. In the last few years publishers have been reissuing picture books that are delightful offerings from some ...

"Never Underestimate a Gift Book" by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 29, 2018

We're nearing the end of this fantastic series by Gladys Hunt. If you're just checking in, please do check out The Hive for a list ...

“Look for Illustrators” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 25, 2018

We're up to the sixteenth in our series of posts by Gladys Hunt, author of Honey for a Child's Heart. In this one, she shares ...

“Sarah, Plain and Tall Series” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 22, 2018

We've got another post from Gladys Hunt for you today about a series beloved to many. For the other posts in this series, please check ...

“On Your Next Trip to the Library” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 18, 2018

In the fourteenth of our series of previously-unpublished posts, Gladys Hunt makes a list of her most-favorite recent picture books to check out at the ...

"Words That Build People" by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 15, 2018

Gladys Hunt gently reminds us that our words make a big impact on our children; let us use words that build up instead of tear down. This ...

“Watch Your Expletives!” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 11, 2018

In the twelfth in our series of previously-unpublished posts, Gladys Hunt cautions about "those words" our kids pick up at school, at play--and increasingly in ...

Gladys Hunt: Grammar Does Matter

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 8, 2018

Gladys Hunt reflects on the importance of grammar, plain and simple, in this essay. It's not as hard as you might think! This is the next ...

“Second Guessing the Message” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 4, 2018

In the tenth of our previously-unpublished posts by Gladys Hunt, she begins a series on the value of language by reflecting on nonverbal communication. Years ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 1, 2018

Gladys Hunt shares some tips for encouraging early literacy in young children in this latest post. For more in our Gladys Hunt series, see The Hive. ...

“Boys and Books” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 27, 2018

This latest in our Gladys Hunt series, which we affectionately call The Hive, looks at the types of books boys enjoy and muses over why so ...

“Born to Read” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 24, 2018

Gladys Hunt reflects on the importance of reading in a child's life and shares some of her favorite books for encouraging kids to read. This is ...

“Reading Intentionally” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 20, 2018

Gladys Hunt recommends reading aloud not just a a way of bonding with family but as a way of making and keeping friends. This is ...

“A Good Book is a Magic Gateway” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 17, 2018

This latest in our Gladys Hunt series, which we affectionately call The Hive, looks at the possibilities inherent in book discussions and how books can ...

“Building a Child’s Personal Library” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 13, 2018

How do you know which books you just have to own? In her fourth post of our series, Gladys Hunt offers tips on recognizing "the ...

Books and Stories: Reflections by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 10, 2018

Readers, we are beyond thrilled to bring you some of Gladys Hunt's last writing on books! See The Hive for more information on this opportunity. ...

“Make Your Own Life Bigger” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 5, 2018

According to Gladys Hunt, developing an appreciation for the public library in your child begins with YOU. This is the second in our series of ...

“The Mystery of the Library” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 3, 2018