Nhuong grew up in the highlands of Vietnam, before the Vietnam War. The Land I Lost is a collection of his memories from his youth, growing up in a small Vietnamese village. He has many adventures with his bull and cows, fishing for eels in the canals, and hunting in the jungles. My children were... Continue Reading →
Rascal
Rascal is the name Sterling North gives his tiny new pet raccoon he found one afternoon when out in the woods with his friend. The book, Rascal, is North's recollection of a few years of his childhood when Rascal was his constant companion. North is a delightful author, remembering funny stories of how Rascal would... Continue Reading →
The Minstrel in the Tower
Both boys and girls will enjoy this short story set in Medieval times, shortly after the Crusades. Roger and Alice's father left them when Roger was very young to fight in the Crusade. Their mother keeps hoping that he will return, but it's been many years, and Roger is sure he won't see his father... Continue Reading →
The Master Puppeteer
Katherine Paterson is the author of the well-known book Bridge to Terabithia, which has also been made into a movie. In The Master Puppeteer, Paterson takes readers to ancient Japan in days when chaos reigned. Jiro is the only son of a puppet-maker, but longs to be a puppeteer for the great Yoshida. He feels... Continue Reading →
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
My nephew is obsessed with the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series. He has read them all, and has sparked my son's interest in reading these books. I like to know what my kids are reading, so when The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan came in at the library, I grabbed it to read it... Continue Reading →
Stormbreaker
My oldest son brought me Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz after a recent library trip. "Mom," he said. "Would you please read this book and let me know if it's OK for me to read?" I greatly appreciated his asking. And honestly, I enjoyed the book. Basically, Stormbreaker is James Bond for preteen and teenage boys...... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 