Did you know that the Twin Cities is teeming with talented writers?! It’s true! And we have several collections of books by local authors for you to read, enjoy, and learn from.

Enjoy this Family Collection: Books for kids and their parents

• My Pixie Dixie by Niza Schear


• Sliding Into the New Year (Book 1 of the YaYa & YoYo series) by Dori Weinstein


• Shaking in the Shack (Book 2 of the YaYa & YoYo series) by Dori Weinstein


• Kindness Wins by Galit Breen


• From Colic to College by Linda Fiterman

My Pixie Dixie
By Niza Schear

My Pixie Dixie was inspired by a true story -- a story about relationships and finding what we need in life by letting go of the things that hold us back. At any age, it is important to feel capable, to connect with others and to contribute to society. This story happened by chance and touches on connections as one person searches for love; another searches to connect with his children; a third wants to feel capable to work, and a man once homeless becomes their teacher in an unexpected way. Told through the eyes of a child, a secret is shared -- one that touches on themes of love, gratitude, friendship and a fear of loss. We are all in the same boat, so we may as well enjoy the ride.

Sliding Into the New Year (Book 1 of the YaYa & YoYo series)
By Dori Weinstein

Thrill-loving fifth grader Ellie "YaYa" Silver has been waiting all summer to visit the brand new indoor water park in town. She is ecstatic when her best friend, Megan, invites her to go-that is until her twin brother, Joel (YoYo), points out that Megan is going on Rosh Hashanah. Sure, Rosh Hashanah is a big deal, but so is Splash World! What will Ellie do?

Shaking in the Shack (Book 2 of the YaYa & YoYo series)
By Dori Weinstein

Joel Silver (YoYo) loves to be a comedian and to play practical jokes. However, when he, his twin sister Ellie (YaYa) and the rest of their fifth-grade Hebrew school class find something surprising in the synagogue's sukkah just before the holiday of Sukkot, it's no laughing matter. Where did the mysterious four-legged visitor come from? What will become of it? Their unexpected adventure brings Joel and Ellie face to face with the importance of shelter and caring for those in need.

Kindness Wins
By Galit Breen  

When freelance writer Galit Breen's kids hinted that they'd like to post, tweet, and share photos on Instagram, Breen took a look at social media as a mom and as a teacher and quickly realized that there's a ridiculous amount of kindness terrain to teach and explain to kidsâ??and some adultsâ??before letting them loose online. So she took to her pen and wrote a how-to book for parents who are tackling this issue with their kids.

Kindness Wins covers ten habits to directly teach kids how to be kind online. Each section is written in Breen's trademark parent-to-parent-over-coffee style and concludes with resources for further reading, discussion starters, and bulleted takeaways. She ends the book with two Kindness Wins contractsâ??one to share with peers and one to share with kids. Just like we needed to teach our children how to walk, swim, and throw a ball, we need to teach them how to maneuver kindly online. This book will help you do just that.

From Colic to College
By Linda Fiterman

In this funny and snarky collection of anecdotes, Linda Fiterman shares the lighter side of parenthood all the way from “colic to college.”

Advice from Linda:

“Childbirth classes neglect to teach one critical skill. How to breathe, count and swear all at the same time.”

“Never buy any size 0-10 pound baby clothes. Your baby will outgrow this garment on the ride home from the hospital.”

“Assuming your baby is toilet trained after one dry naptime is like assuming that Elizabeth Taylor has finally settled down in marriage.”

“After a ten month search of colleges and universities our teenage daughter came to us with her big decision. She had eliminated all third world countries.”