Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Maggie doesn’t know who her parents are. She only knows widow Minka, who took her in and continually threatens to send her away to beg on the streets. That seems a fate too difficult to bear, so Maggie continually tries to please widow Minka. Until one day, widow Minka announces to Maggie that she’s arranged... Continue Reading →
Lisa and her friends live on farms outside a village in the Swedish countryside. They enjoy simple pleasures of life - crayfishing in a local pond, celebrating Christmas, enjoying walks home from school, shopping at the local market for their mothers. The Children of Noisy Village was written by Astrid Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking... Continue Reading →
I’ll be honest. I picked up this short, little book because of the Scandinavian art on the cover. I love Scandinavian folk art, and thought this book could be enjoyable because of it. I was not wrong. When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad should be a classic. I loved this sweet story of... Continue Reading →
You might think that a story about pioneering families in Alaska would be the most unusual part of Sweet Home Alaska, by Carole Estby Dagg. You’d be wrong. The most unusual part, at least in my opinion, are the names of her main characters - three sisters named after Greek muses. The twins are lucky... Continue Reading →
Lynda Mullaly Hunt wrote One for the Murphys, an audiobook I enjoyed. So when I saw she had written Fish in a Tree, I immediately picked it up to read. I was not disappointed. Ally, the main character, has never done well in school. Usually, she’s able to distract the teacher by acting out. Plus,... Continue Reading →
Lou loves her house - the oldest one in town. It has all sorts of hiding places, history and the library is right across the street. She and her friends have created all sorts of memories in that house. But now, hiding in her favorite spot, she overhears her parents talking. The town council has... Continue Reading →
Rick Riordan’s latest foray into the world of mythology encompasses the Norse gods. In fact, The Sword of Summer is similar to his Percy Jackson series in that Magnus Chase is a demigod - the son of a Norse god and a human. The difference is that Magnus is homeless. He’s living on the streets... Continue Reading →
Dash Gibson is one of the first people to live on the moon. Cool, right? Dash would be the first to tell you that living on the moon is not the luxurious vacation it's advertised to be. In fact, Dash finds it rather boring. So much so that school is an event to look forward... Continue Reading →
Life at an English boarding school can be so boring. Hazel Wong has discovered that. She's actually rather OK with boring, but her friend Daisy Wells is not. Daisy has been in trouble for reading mystery novels, but that doesn't stop her. Daisy convinces Hazel to start a secret detective agency at school. But they... Continue Reading →
If you love games and strategy, you’ll love Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein. The famous game inventor Mr. Lemoncello has built a brand new library in his home town in Ohio. To celebrate the grand opening, he’s invited twelve 12-year-olds for an all-night lock-in in the library. Kyle Keeley is determined to... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 