A Hello, Goodbye Story Time for the New Year and Beyond

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  Today I’d like to share a book about goodbyes and hellos, endings and beginnings.  Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!  by Cori Doerrfeld is primarily about a friendship, which begins with a “hello” and continues through lots of experiences, including a sad “goodbye.” But it’s also about enjoying different, sometimes new experiences while they last. I found this story very relatable, as my inner child read it thinking of all of the hellos and goodbyes from my own childhood as a military brat.  Continue reading for more about this book and some story time ideas to pair with this charming story. Plus some more books featuring hellos and goodbyes!
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Ten Book Nook Ideas for Siblings or Friends

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by Marci Whitehurst

Is there anything that can possibly make reading better?

A story takes us on adventures, whisks us to new places, introduces us to different people—but it can be even better when we share it.

Siblings are built-in friends and sharing a book with a sibling is built-in joy. Our family also loved reading with cousins and neighbors. Creating a reading nook or spot to share a story can be twice the fun. Here are ten fun book nook ideas to try with a buddy:

1. Pillow Palace. Find a corner, a couch, or any interesting place and create a stash of pillows—enough for each kid. Settle in with a good book!

2. Set up a tent. If you have a tent, pitch it in the living room or family room—or if it’s warm enough, outside.

3. Blanket fort. Stretch a blanket over a coffee table or across chairs to build a fort. Settle in together for a good book. Bring a flashlight for extra fun.

4. Popcorn reading! Siblings take turns reading—a page or a chapter—it’s up to you!

5. Boxes. Make a box car or a train. This is great for younger readers. We once did this with laundry baskets—it was like a drive-in movie, only for reading.

Photo credit: Jamie Reimer and Hands on as We Grow®

6. Hidey-Hole. Find a spot to hide and snuggle in with a good book together.

7. Set up a snack for read-alouds. If an adult or one sibling is reading, the other kids can snack while listening. Make sure to wash hands before becoming the next reader. You could also put hot cocoa in a spill proof cup.

8. Bookcase snuggles. Put a yoga mat (or a big blanket) on the floor in front of a bookcase. Each kid picks a book off the shelf to read—or maybe two or three!

9. Flashlight night. They say reading in the dark is bad for the eyes, but a good flashlight provides plenty of light. If siblings hold flashlights for each other, it can be a lot of fun.


10. Car reading! If you have kids that do not get car sick while reading, settle in for traveling with a stack of books. Otherwise, books on CD or streaming are a great option for traveling.

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