I imagine Calico Bush by Rachel Field is not at the top of many people's reading lists. But it should be! This is the second time I've read through Calico Bush, but it will certainly not be my last. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this story. Marguerite is an orphaned French girl who... Continue Reading →
Misty of Chincoteague
If the children in your life love horses, they will love Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry. (By the way, it's pronounced chink-o-teeg) The story follows Paul and Maureen, two children on Chincoteague Island in Virginia who desperately want to buy a wild horse from Assateaugue (ass-a-teeg) Island. They work very hard, finding odd jobs... Continue Reading →
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
If you have never read the original The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting, you are in for a treat. I think the title tells it all: The Story of Doctor Dolittle: Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts. Never Before Printed. John Dolittle, M.D. -... Continue Reading →
Usborne Book of World History
The book my seven-year-old is most likely to pick out for read-aloud time (even outside of school time) is The Usborne Book of World History from Usborne Publishers. Obviously, my seven-year-old loves history. He loves it so much that our copy of World History is about to fall apart. Do not be afraid to start... Continue Reading →
Most Wanted
You may think Most Wanted by Kate Thompson is about the world's top criminals, but you'd be wrong. The horse on the cover provides a clue - Thompson writes about the beautiful horse which Roman Emperor Gaius made consul, Incitatus. A baker's son unexpectedly finds himself holding Incitatus's reigns after a servant boy hands them... Continue Reading →
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
Johnathan lives on Hemlock Mountain, which is really more of a hill than a mountain, with his parents and surrounded by a large extended family. One of Johnathan's cousins is about to be christened, and his mother is hosting the entire family after church. After casting about for ideas of what to make for so... Continue Reading →
A Long Way from Chicago
My youngest picked up the audio version of A Long Way from Chicago and wanted to listen to it in the van. I had never heard of it before, never read anything by Richard Peck before, and I wasn't sure how appropriate it was for a seven-year-old. But I thought we would give it a... Continue Reading →
Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists
Mike Venezia has written over two dozen very engaging books about famous artists in his series Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists. Each book in the series focuses on one particular artist, from Botticelli to Andy Warhol, from Monet to Jackson Pollock and many in between. Venezia does a great job of telling readers... Continue Reading →
Madeline
Before Fancy Nancy, girls fell in love with Madeline. Girls still love Madeline - and for good reason. Ludwig Bemelmans created Madeline after he moved to the United States and became a US citizen. Bemelmans wrote and illustrated several Madeline books, most of which take place in Paris, France. Children love the lilting rhyme of... Continue Reading →
How Artists See:
Colleen Carroll has created treasures for parents who wish to teach their children about art - especially those who don't know much about art themselves. Her series of books titled How Artists See... give parents and children a common vocabulary with which to discuss paintings. Each two-page spread focuses on a different painting and guides... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 