Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Johnny Tott knows that Kaspar is a special cat. He traveled to London's Savoy Hotel with his owner, a Russian opera singer. Johnny gets to know and admire Kaspar as he gets to know and admire his owner, the opera singer. But when tragedy befalls the singer, Johnny decides to care for Kaspar. Then Kaspar... Continue Reading →
In The True Gift by Patricia MacLachlan, Lily and Liam are glad to be at their grandparents' farm, preparing for Christmas. They are looking forward to reading lots of books, visiting the "lilac library" in town, and baking Christmas cookies. But then Liam spots the White Cow in the meadow at Gran and Grandpa's farm. ... Continue Reading →
In the modern age of consumerism and materialism at Christmas, Patricia Polacco's An Orange for Frankie tells a beautiful story of gratefulness and generosity. Based upon Polacco's own family history, the picture book tells the story of Frankie, the youngest boy in a large family. It's close to Christmas during the Great Depression, and the... 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 →
George and Martha are hippos, huge hippos who are good friends. Not just good friends - great friends. George and Martha by James Marshall introduces young readers to the two hippos in two different stories: Split Pea Soup and The Flying Machine. In both stories, George and Martha face a dilemma. How will George tell... Continue Reading →
Early chapter book shelves are full of books about the most popular movies, TV shows and cartoon characters, so when I find a good reader which both my children and I can enjoy I rejoice! No Fighting, No Biting! by Else Holmelund Minarik is a classic. I loved the illustrations by Maurice Sendak (Where the... Continue Reading →
Boys who love horses and cowboys will enjoy reading Cowboy Ned & Andy, a picture book by David Ezra Stein. Cowboy Ned is celebrating his birthday out on the range, so his horse, Andy, tries to find a cake for him. As he wanders the range, Andy encounters plenty of creatures, none of whom are... Continue Reading →
Author Allen Say takes readers on a very personal journey in Grandfather's Journey. Say recounts his grandfather's journey from Japan to America, the wonders he saw and the adventures he had wandering America's vast and differing land. Say's grandfather ended up moving to California. But as he grew older, he missed his homeland more and... Continue Reading →
The world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, is experiencing a resurgence in popularity - multiple TV shows, movies, and books. Now author Andrew Lane has delved into Holmes' teen years with his book Death Cloud, the first in a new series Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins. The 14-year-old Sherlock Holmes is forced to spend the... 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 →
Cultivating Readers 