Beginning readers will enjoy getting to know Frog & Toad, characters created by Arnold Lobel. Frog and Toad are best friends. They enjoy spending time together, learning from each other, and helping to cheer each other up when one is down. The short stories trace their friendship and their usually-quite-funny predicaments - like the time... Continue Reading →
The Skippack School
The Skippack School by Marguerite de Angeli takes awhile to get into, but it is worth it. As my nine-year-old put it, "It starts out boring, but then it gets interesting." The main character is Eli, recently arrived in Pennsylvania from Germany with his parents and two younger sisters. His story starts on Pennsylvania soil,... Continue Reading →
Amelia Bedelia
If you have never read any of Peggy Parish's Amelia Bedelia books, you are missing out. Amelia Bedelia is a young woman with a heart of gold, but she cannot seem to do anything right. In the first book, Amelia follows Mrs. Rogers' instructions exactly, even though they don't make sense to her - things... Continue Reading →
The Thanksgiving Story
Most children who've been to preschool can probably tell you the first Thanksgiving involved Indians and Pilgrims, and perhaps even have a paper Pilgrim collar and hat or Indian headband to prove it. The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh will help children understand who the Pilgrims were and why they celebrated Thanksgiving with the Indians.... Continue Reading →
Betsy-Tacy
I am surprised I did not find the Betsy-Tacy books as a child. My children and I have discovered them recently, and have enjoyed them. Maud Hart Lovelace wrote Betsy-Tacy based upon her childhood growing up in Mankato, Minnesota. Betsy hopes a family with children will move in across the street from her, especially a... Continue Reading →
Nancy Drew
This week, my 10-year-old daughter and I are reading The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene for a mother-daughter book club at the library. It got me thinking about how much I loved Nancy Drew as a child. By no means would I categorize Nancy Drew as stellar children's literature. However, Nancy Drew books... Continue Reading →
Stories from Grandma’s Attic
As a girl, I think I read Stories from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson at least a dozen times. I loved the stories of the author's precocious grandmother, who was constantly in trouble. I am amazed at the memories in this book - not only the memory of the author, whose grandmother told her the... Continue Reading →
The Courage of Sarah Noble
This year, my younger children and I are exploring American History, and enjoying some wonderful books on our journey. One of those is The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh. I remember my older two children enjoying this book when they read it two years ago, but this was the first time I had... Continue Reading →
Ballet Shoes
Several years ago, I was looking for a book that the children and I could listen to in the car as we drove around town. I picked up Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild a couple of times, and put it down a couple of times. My girls were taking ballet lessons then, and loved them,... Continue Reading →
The Sign of the Beaver
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare is one of those books I don't think I'll ever tire of reading. The lessons about growing up, independence and the importance of family resonate loudly throughout the book - and the story keeps me turning the pages and my kids begging for "One more chapter!... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 