Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Sit by Deborah Ellis Sit by Deborah Ellis is little book full of small, but mighty, stories. They all start with a child. Sitting. And all move and end differently. Only two of the stories have the same characters, the rest stand alone. They are moving - some hopeful, some heartbreaking. All are well-written. All... Continue Reading →
One of my favorite stories from childhood is Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John. This is a sweet, difficult story of families living on a mountain in French-speaking Switzerland. Hard feelings and frustrations lead to an unforgettable and unforgivable accident. How the two families, especially the children, work through the ramifications of the... Continue Reading →
These Rabbit Ears productions are amazing, combining celebrity readers with great musicians. When I first listened to them, I was confused because the story was interrupted by music. However, the music adds so much to each story. This particular volume has two stories, The White Cat (read by Emma Thompson) and The Fool and the... Continue Reading →
As I was scrolling through my new-to-me library's Overdrive collection, I found The Magic World by E. Nesbit. I have heard the author's name before, but couldn't place where (& still can't, tho Google tells me she wrote over 60 books - all children's literature). This book is perfect for shorter drives with children. Each... Continue Reading →
Finally coming up for air after several busy weeks moving to a new state. (This was written in 2017.) While busy packing and unpacking, I enjoyed listening to one of my favorite middle grade authors, Andrew Clements. He writes fun, and funny, books which are great for light reading - and for starting discussions, if... Continue Reading →
Do you remember the Encyclopedia Brown books by Donald J. Sobol? I loved these books as a kid. Rereading the first one as an adult, I found it borders on cheesy. That does not mean even modern-day kids won't enjoy the little mysteries Encyclopedia solves for 25-cents each. Highly recommended for young readers - read... Continue Reading →
Esther just wants her mom to hug her and kiss her. She wants to be sure her mom loves her. Maybe if she keeps track of all the good luck superstitions her mother follows, her mom will love her more. In the midst of the Great Depression her family goes through lots of difficulties -... Continue Reading →
With all the change in my life right now (I wrote this review several years ago), I find myself gravitating towards books that feel like familiar friends. I remember listening to The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry years ago with my children and enjoying it. I find it ironic I listened to it again so... Continue Reading →
The last companion novel to Savvy. I think they get better. Again, a different narrator helped immensely in enjoying author Ingrid Law's writing and the abundance of alliterations. If I were more clever, I'd write this review in rhyme - I think Law would appreciate that. 😊 Another fun story with crazy characters. I think... Continue Reading →
The Poet’s Dog is another beautiful tale from the author of Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan. Nickel and Flora are stranded in a blizzard when Teddy finds them. He takes them back to the cabin he shared with Sylvan, before he left. Teddy and the children get to know each other and begin to... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 