Posted May 15, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 4 Comments
Not gonna lie, creating this reading kit was downright intimidating. There are just SO MANY cool Lord of the Rings items out there! Choosing felt like such a huge task. I actually put off writing this for a week to give me time to thoroughly sort through everything and make sure my kit included only the really good stuff.
I did my best to avoid items that were too obvious or super easy to find, since I figure people don’t need anyone to tell them about Frodo Funko Pops or One Ring replicas. I also avoided super expensive stuff (with two carefully considered exceptions). I focused my efforts on creative, high quality, mostly fan-made items that would make great gifts for the hobbit, wizard, shieldmaiden, or Heir of Isildur in your life. Enjoy! 🙂
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Posted April 3, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 1 Comment
Our new Book of the Month is Matilda, and I’m kicking things off with a reading kit! 😀
I was impressed by how many Matilda-inspired fan made items were out there. With a book that was published so long ago, sometimes it can be hard to find stuff that’s specifically themed to that book, but not so with Matilda. It was easy to track down art prints, candles, throw pillows, jewelry, and so much more. Of course, book- and library-themed items are perfect for Matilda as well, so I was sure to include some when I rounded up my favorite items for this reading kit.
Snag some bookish swag for yourself or your favorite reading buddy and sit back with a copy of Matilda. Enjoy! 🙂
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Posted March 20, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 2 Comments
I don’t get to make reading kits for picture books very often, so when I do, it’s a fun change of pace. It’s a chance to get creative, since I can’t use a lot of the items I typically include in kits (candles, scarves, etc.). I love imagining what a young reader would want to have in a kit, and there are tons of book-themed clothes and toys out there for kids! This Where the Wild Things Are reading kit includes plushies, costumes, blankets, and more—all themed after the long beloved children’s book. Enjoy! 🙂
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Posted February 13, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 4 Comments
For the past week we’ve been trapped inside due to family-wide illness and a foot of snow, so putting together this Wuthering Heights reading kit was a nice break from all the tedium. I had a blast reading through Kate Beaton’s six part Wuthering Heights comic series to find just the right print to include in my kit. I also wanted to include at least one of the many wonderful quotes in Bronte’s book, so I made sure a quote is featured in one of the items below. I tried to avoid candles, scarves, and t-shirts this time since I tend to use those a lot in my kits (gotta widen those horizons!). In the end, I like to think I curated a thoughtful list of fun, unique items perfect for keeping close at hand while you read Emily Bronte’s famous novel. Let’s take a look! 🙂
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Posted January 2, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 0 Comments
I’ve wanted to make a Grimm’s fairy tale menu ever since I started this blog, so it’s no exaggeration to say I’ve been looking forward to this for years. When I decided to start the month off with a Grimm’s fairy tale reading kit, I dove right in, but it actually took me FOREVER to put this list together. There were just SO MANY options! I sifted through dozens of items inspired by princesses, fairies, dragons, gnomes, and trolls (not to mention stuff related to specific fairy tales like Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood). In the end, I came up with a list of fun, creative items you’ll want to be sure to have with you when you head off into your nearby enchanted forest—whether you’re a little girl off to visit her grandmother or a woodsman’s seventh son off to seek his fortune.
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Posted December 19, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 1 Comment
Grinch-themed things are all over the internet this time of year, so when it came time to put together my Grinch Who Stole Christmas reading kit, inspiration was everywhere! Of course, I didn’t want to throw together a list of Hallmark ornaments and pajama pants and call it a day. I wanted something a little more thoughtful. So I hunted high and low for what I consider to be the most unique, high quality Grinchy gifts. I found festive candles, Grinch-Starbucks crossover mugs, funny shirts, and so much more!
So read on, and let your Grinch flag fly! 😉
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Posted November 7, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 2 Comments
We’re continuing our Stranger Things theme this month with a marathon kit! So throw on your AV Club T-shirt, heat up some Eggos, and fire up your Netflix—we’re about to take a trip to the upside down. And if you think I wasn’t able to find a way to tie books into all this, you’re in for a surprise! 😉 Read More
Posted October 3, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 1 Comment
Halloween is peeking it’s head around the corner, so in the spirit of the season, our new Book of the Month has a spooky vibe: The Phantom of the Opera!
There are so many iconic items from Phantom: masks, roses, pipe organs, chandeliers, sheet music, magical lassos—the list goes on! So naturally, it was pure fun to put this reading kit together. It features cozy Phantom throw pillows, perfectly themed snacks, and even fancy abstract sunglasses made to look like the famous Phantom mask.
Read on, Wonderlanders…and be sure to keep your hand at the level of your eyes! 😉 Read More
Posted September 5, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 2 Comments
That’s right, folks! Our new Book of the Month is the Amelia’s Notebook series by Marissa Moss. I fell in love with the books as a kid, and they were a big inspiration for me to start writing my own stories. Plus, Amelia’s signature composition notebooks and focus on school make September a great time to feature her books, what with everyone heading back to school for fall. So let’s get started! 😀
Today we’re kicking things off with an Amelia’s Notebook reading kit. It’s got loads of Amelia-inspired items: lunchboxes, eraser, notebooks (of course!), and a lot more. This is definitely one of those kits where I had to limit myself. I kept thinking of more things that would be perfect for the kit—I almost couldn’t stop! In the end, I included only the best of the best. I had a lot of fun putting it together, and I think you’re going to love it. 🙂
So let’s get ready to start reading Amelia’s Notebook…and don’t forget to check back on Thursday for our first Amelia-inspired recipe!
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Posted August 1, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 4 Comments
Time to introduce my new Book of the Month: The Man in the Iron Mask! I’m excited for this book because I’ve been planning a menu for it for AGES. I was going to do it back in the spring, but I seriously underestimated how long it would take to finish the book with a brand new baby. Luckily, things are starting to settle down a bit now that the Little Mister is 6 months old. He’s sleeping well, we’re back to a regular schedule, and I’m in the final stretch of cookbook editing. So with the help of audiobook magic, I was FINALLY able to finish The Man in the Iron Mask and create a menu for it.
Today, we’re introducing it with a reading kit! This was a fun one to make, since there’s so much drama and intrigue in Man in the Iron Mask. Since it’s based in the baroque/rococo period, I had fun with the style of things, going for more opulent items with high aesthetic appeal. Enjoy! 🙂
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