Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
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 →
Julie Berry authored one of my favorite books, The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place. So when I saw she had written these titles on Audible, I added them to my library. Wishes and Wellingtons and Crime and Carpetbags follow the adventures of Maeve and her friend Alice, boarding school roommates. Maeve is always in trouble,... Continue Reading →
Overnight, Gerta finds her family divided. One night, her father and next older brother went to West Berlin to find supplies for her family. The next morning, she finds East German soldiers building a massive concrete wall, sealing her, her oldest brother and their mother inside East Berlin. Gerta tries to live her life, but... 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 →
Gina Filomena has a new neighbor whose wide, welcoming smile catches her off-guard. She like his smile. She likes his imagination, which makes her look at her neighborhood differently. When Antonio shows up at her class, and offers his generous smile to everyone, Gina feels a bit put out. But the tenor of the whole... Continue Reading →
Joana has been walking for days. She’s gathered around her others fleeing the Russian troops advancing through the eastern lands of the Third Reich. There’s Eva, a giantess of a woman, Poet, who is a shoemaker and waxes poetical about shoes, boots and feet, and Ingrid, a blind girl Joana found lost at a train... Continue Reading →
Lina regrets missing the signs. She was not prepared, so Stalin’s men grabbed her from her apartment in her nightgown. Lina was one of millions of Lithuanians falsely charged with crimes and resettled to Sibera. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys tells her story, that of her family and that of those with whom... Continue Reading →
Josie Moraine lives a - well - unusual life. She adores books, and works, and lives, in a local bookstore. She also cleans the house where her mother lives - notorious Madame Willie Woodley's house. Yes, this means Josie's mother is a prostitute. Josie definitely does not want to follow in her mother's footsteps, but... Continue Reading →
Eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson is looking forward to exploring Spain, the lad of his mother’s birth. He and his parents are in Madrid - his mother to reconnect with her country; his father to sign an oil deal with General Francisco Franco. Daniel befriends other Americans - Ben, a newspaper reporter, and Nick, the son of... Continue Reading →
Note: I wrote this review about six years ago, and am just publishing it now. I have to admit, my youngest (11yo) has been finding the best audiobooks at our library. And fortunately, he is willing to share with me. His latest find is The Island of Dr. Libris, by Chris Crabenstein, performed by Kirby... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 