If you have a toddler - or a preschooler, or even an early elementary student - fascinated with dinosaurs, you'll want to pick up the How Do Dinosaurs....? books by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. Yolen has written each of the books in a similar format, several questions about bad behavior followed by a "No,"... Continue Reading →
Shel Silverstein
I have never been a person who adores poetry. In fact, I spent most of my childhood avoiding it - except for one author. Shel Silverstein. Now that I'm older, perhaps wiser, I have read more poetry to my children than I have read in my entire life. Poetry is beginning to grow on me.... Continue Reading →
Sarah, Plain and Tall
In Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia Maclachlan, Anna tells the story of her family. Her mother died shortly after her little brother, Caleb, was born and Anna can't help feeling sad and somewhat resentful towards him. But her father's surprising announcement quickly diverts her attention. He has placed an ad in the newspaper for... Continue Reading →
The Velvet Room
One book I picked up over and over again over the course of my childhood was The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. It's not as well-known as Anne of Green Gables, but I loved it nearly as much. The Velvet Room tells the story of Robin, the middle child of five. She and her... Continue Reading →
Calico Bush
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 →
Anne of Green Gables
An orphan delighted to find a new home on Prince Edward Island - then crushed to discover that her new guardians had wanted a boy. Her bright spirit and delightful chatter wins Matthew over, and he decided they must keep her. Thus began Anne's life with Marilla and Matthew on their farm, Green Gables. Anne... Continue Reading →
The Story About Ping
Ping is a duck who lives with his family on the Yangtze River in China. The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack tells of his adventures - or rather misadventures. One night, in order to avoid a spanking for being the last duck home, he stays on shore rather than board the wise-eyed boat which... 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 →
Pompeii… Buried Alive!
Students of history have long been fascinated by the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The nearby volcano, Vesuvius, erupted in 79 AD, burying the city and its inhabitants under several feet of volcanic ash and sediment. People quickly forgot about the city, and it lay buried for nearly two-thousand years. As people started reading Pliny... 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 →
Cultivating Readers 