My youngest picked up the audio version of A Long Way from Chicago and wanted to listen to it in the van. I had never heard of it before, never read anything by Richard Peck before, and I wasn't sure how appropriate it was for a seven-year-old. But I thought we would give it a... Continue Reading →
Big Book of Science and Nature
My favorite science book of all-time is The Berenstain Bears' Big Book of Science and Nature by Stan and Jan Berenstain. How can you resist learning science with the Berenstain Bears - especially from Professor Actual Factual, the Foremost Bear Scientist of His Time (as featured on the book cover)? This is a big book... 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 →
The Thieves of Ostia
My children are voracious readers. In search of something that would capture my oldest's attention, I discovered The Thieves of Ostia by Caroline Lawrence, the first in her The Roman Mysteries series at our local library. I made sure I read it before Nathaniel, because I was concerned about the character treatments, plot, and any... Continue Reading →
The Cat in the Hat
No American childhood would be complete without reading Dr. Seuss's famous book The Cat in the Hat. Hollywood has taken to turning Dr. Seuss's simple children's books into movies - but as with most movies, the books are better. The Cat in the Hat tells the story of a boy and his sister, left alone... Continue Reading →
What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?
Children studying the Revolutionary War will find What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? by Jean Fritz. Fritz starts with information every child is curious about - Franklin's childhood. Instead of boring readers with facts and figures, Fritz tells stories from Franklin's life - of how he taught himself to swim different strokes, how he studied... Continue Reading →
McBroom’s Wonderful One-Acre Farm
Kids of all ages will enjoy the tall tales in McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm by Sid Fleischman. Fleischman has a breezy, easy-to-read writing style perfect for children. In McBroom's, Josh McBroom is on his way west with his dear wife, Melissa, and their "eleven, redheaded, freckle-faced youngsters. Their names were Willjillhesterchesterpeterpollytimtommarylarryandlittleclarinda." Try saying that ten... 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 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 →
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 →
Cultivating Readers 