Beyond Books Archives - Beyond the Bookends

2 Newly Released Thrillers to Freak Out Moms Everywhere

Cookbooks That Make Packing School Lunches Bearable

Posted on August 11, 2017August 13, 2017 by Kirsten

The 3 best cookbook writers (and their collective works).

Wanna know my favorite part of summer? NOT HAVING TO PACK LUNCH! Seriously. People complain about the constant application of sunscreen or the extra laundry from towels and swimsuits. But I would rather do 10 loads of laundry a day than pack a school lunch. That’s my truth. My kids go to a school that makes packing lunch VERY difficult – no tree nuts, peanuts, or meat. So basically I’m dealing with an egg or dairy protein situation and it can be challenging to come up with good meals every day. Last year, I called in the big guns to help inspire me – Lisa Leake and Catherine McCord. Continue reading “Cookbooks That Make Packing School Lunches Bearable” →

Stories for the First Day of School

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Kirsten

Heading off to school for the very first time is an exciting but scary idea for most kids. Many may be leaving their parents for the first time. New schools mean new rules, new friends, and new worries. I’ve always found that the easiest way to explain new situations to my own kids is through reading about them in books. The books below help to tackle different ideas – missing mom, anxiety about meeting new people or learning about what teachers do to get ready for school. These are the perfect stories for the first day of school. Continue reading “Stories for the First Day of School” →

Amazing Literary School Supplies

Posted on August 4, 2017August 13, 2017 by Kirsten

Literary School Supplies for your favorite boys and girls!

Does anyone else love Back-to-School season as much as we do? Fresh school supplies, blank notebook pages and new books! As we begin to plan and shop for our own kid’s school supplies, we wanted to share our fun literary finds with you. If your child is going off to school for the first time or headed away to college, there is something on this list for each of them. Continue reading “Amazing Literary School Supplies” →

The 8 Best High School Reads & 2 to Pass on

Posted on August 2, 2017August 3, 2017 by Jackie

The most exciting and engaging required reading from High School. Plus 2 high school reads we detest!

As we start thinking about school (*sigh) we can’t help thinking about the books that we read in high school. Some books we loved and shaped our tastes later in life. Others left a bad taste in our mouths. My love of reading came long before high school. While some of my teachers fostered a life long love of learning, some teachers were just the opposite. I definitely had some teachers who were grouchy and bored and seemed to take joy in the failure of their students. Not surprisingly, my least favorite books were taught by my least favorite teachers. We decided to provide you with our top picks to read if you didn’t read them in high school. And just for fun, we wanted to list our least favorite book as well. Continue reading “The 8 Best High School Reads & 2 to Pass on” →

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter!

Posted on July 31, 2017August 1, 2017 by Kirsten

Plan your next Harry Potter Party with food, drinks, games and decor themed after the wizarding world.

Happy 37th Birthday Mr. Potter! While the stories of Harry Potter are celebrating their 20th year in existence, the character himself was born on July 31, 1980, making him 37 today. What is even more exciting is that this is the year that his age is the EXACT age as the epilogue chapter in Deathly Hallows. We believe this milestone should be celebrated, today and …always…(we had too!) That’s why we’ve rounded up our favorite Harry Potter Food, Decor and Entertainment ideas from the web to inspire your next Potter party. Continue reading “Happy Birthday, Harry Potter!” →