I was prepared to dislike The Chalatan's Boy by Jonathan Rogers. The loud yellow-and-red cover didn't appeal to me and the publisher's blurb on the back reminded me of Avi's John-Newbery-Award-winning book, Crispin: The Cross of Lead. I enjoyed Crispin, and thought The Charlatan's Boy would just be a knock-off. I could not have been... Continue Reading →
The Ides of April
My children read The Ides of April by Mary Ray for school a couple of weeks ago. This week, we started reading Beyond the Desert Gate aloud. After I read the first couple of chapters, I noticed on the cover that it was the sequel to The Ides of April, so I thought I'd better... Continue Reading →
Mara: Daughter of the Nile
This historical adventure, set in (can you guess?) ancient Egypt, has enough action to satisfy the boys, and enough romance to keep the girls' attention. Mara: Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw tells the story of Mara, a slave girl who ends up acting as a double spy in the court of the... Continue Reading →
The God King
As my children grow older, I admit I am more and more frequently reading ahead in our school books. It's hard to resist - the books are so great! My new favorite author is Joanne Williamson. She writes historical fiction that's just superb. The God King is one of those books. The main character is... Continue Reading →
The Boy Who Dared
I haven't read The Boy Who Dared: A Novel Based on the True Story of a Hitler Youth to my children. They aren't ready for it yet. I will keep this title in mind, though, when my older two study World War II again. By then, they will be old enough for this book. And... Continue Reading →
Walk the World’s Rim
My younger two children and I just finished reading Walk the World's Rim by Betty Baker this morning. This is my second time through the book, their first. We really enjoy this book, which is a fictional account of a real-life event. A Spanish expedition sailed from Cuba to explore Florida in 1527. Of the... Continue Reading →
The Mysterious Howling
When I picked up this book at the library, a part of me wondered what I was doing. In fact, the first time I picked it up, I put it back down again and didn't check it out. Several weeks later, I spotted it again and couldn't help picking it up again. That time I... Continue Reading →
Peter and the Starcatchers
If you are familiar with the original Peter Pan by JM Barrie, or watched the Disney movie, you probably have a myriad of unanswered questions, including: What is Neverland, and how did Peter get to there? Who is Captain Hook and how did he end up in Neverland? Why can Peter fly, but not the... Continue Reading →
Stoneheart
When we first meet George in Stoneheart, he is not a very likable guy. He's rather wimpy, trying to avoid conflict, mad at his mom, feeling guilty about his dad's death, in trouble with his teacher. Then, he breaks off the head of a stone dragon outside a London museum. And his world changes. The... Continue Reading →
Daughter of the Mountains
Momo is a little girl who lives high in the mountains of Tibet. One day, at a festival at the Buddhist monastery, she spots a beautiful Lhasa terrier the head monk owns. That Lhasa terrier is the most beautiful dog she has ever seen and she wants one oh-so-badly. She prays to the Blessed One,... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 