Chocolate and books…few things in this world are closer to my heart. Here’s a fun way to enjoy both at once—and to celebrate the final days of summer and the early days of fall.

1. Gather your favorite elementary-age kid(s).

2. Grab a selection of books about chocolate. Here are a few of my favorites from Lerner:

 
 
 

3. Buy all the supplies needed for s’mores: graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows.

4. For easy, no-fuss, kid-safe s’mores, follow these directions:

● place one graham square on a paper towel
● top the square with two squares of chocolate and a marshmallow
● microwave it until the marshmallow gets puffy (usually somewhere around 15 seconds)
● remove the graham square, chocolate, and marshmallow from the microwave and cover it with a second graham square. Make enough of these so each kid has a little plateful to enjoy.

5. Spread a big, fuzzy blanket on the floor—or outside on the grass, if you prefer. Pile the kids, the s’mores, and the chocolate books on top of it.

 6. Read the chocolate books out loud while the kids enjoy their s’mores. (And make sure to have them save at least a few s’mores for you.)

This Books-and-S’mores Party is an excellent way to make reading extra-fun for kids (which, as those of you who caught my last post know, ranks right up there with chocolate and books when it comes to my passions in life). If you have other ideas for inspiring young readers, please let me know! In the meantime, Happy Reading, and Happy Eating!