Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Author and illustrator Patricia Polacco had a wonderfully interesting childhood, which makes for delightful pictures books (read more here) - and her holiday books are no exception. In The Trees of the Dancing Goats, Polacco describes one Hanukkah she celebrated with her mother, brother and grandparents in snowy Michigan. She tells about her family's traditions... Continue Reading →
Generally, I am not a fan of repackaging beloved stories for marketing purposes, but I make an exception for the Little House story books. (See my review of other Little House story books here.) For the holidays, HarperCollins Publishers pulled out all the Christmas's Laura Ingalls Wilder described in some of her Little House on... Continue Reading →
The 'trouble twins' have been nothing but trouble since the day they were born. That's what their guardians, Mr. & Mrs. Trepid, have been telling Dallas and Florida since they arrived on the doorstep of the Boxton Creek Home. But then, Tiller and Sairy cross paths with them, and decide to take them home to... Continue Reading →
Words are powerful, but the gift of reading can be taken for granted in a country with a high literacy rate. It wasn't always that way. Children who grew up in the South, as slaves, did not have the opportunity to learn to read. In Words Set Me Free by Lesa Cline-Ransome, the author tells... Continue Reading →
My girls grabbed Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett before I had a chance to read it. Every time I picked it up, they both told me, "Oh Mom, you'll love that book! It's really funny!" And it is! Barnett, and his illustrator Adam Rex, get quite involved in the story Barnett is writing.... Continue Reading →
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, people around the world mourned with America and the terrorist attack which claimed so many lives. However, one tribe in Kenya did more than mourn. When one of their own returned home for a visit from America, the tribe decided to give 14 of their cows to America.... Continue Reading →
My 12-year-old daughter read Powerless by Matthew Cody and insisted that I read it too. I'm glad she did. Powerless is a story about superheroes - but not the well-known comic book kind. These superheroes are kids who have super powers. All except Daniel. He is just an ordinary kid who loves detective stories, and... Continue Reading →
The saying goes, "The grass is always greener..." The main characters in The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech truly believe that saying. Pia and Enzio believe life has to be perfect for the princes and princess living in the Castle Corona. But the king, queen, princes and princess do not think their life is perfect... Continue Reading →
Twelve-year-old Rob Horton cannot believe his eyes. He has discovered a real, live tiger! It's in the woods behind the hotel, locked in a cage. That very same day, he meets Sistine Bailey, a tough northern girl who strides onto the school bus in a pink dress. No one wears pink dresses to school, even... Continue Reading →
Lina Mayfleet is anxiously awaiting her assignment. She wants to be a Messenger, because she loves to run. Doon Harrow is equally anxious. He wants to do something to help his dying city - be an electrician so he can work on the generator which keeps the lights on, and the darkness away. Their work... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 