Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
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 →
The monks of the Chronicles of Sorrowing fear the goat the most. Answelica has taken a piece of each of them with her sharp teeth and hard head. So when Brother Edik finds a child asleep with Answelica, he is terrified. How did that child get there? And what will that goat do to her?... Continue Reading →
Nella is outnumbered by younger brothers. She desperately wants a sister - and finds one, for a time - in Angela. But as they grow and change, Nella grows tired of Angela and is captivated by Clem, the new girl. As life changes more quickly than she wants or anticipates, Nella finds herself caught between... Continue Reading →
Will's life on the African farm is magical. Day after blissful day roaming the plains on her horse with her monkey and best friend. Suddenly, her life changes and she's sent to England for school. How will she learn to live so far from her beloved Africa? I loved Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell... Continue Reading →
Jennifer A. Nielsen is one of the few authors who I consistently read and gladly purchase. Her newest book, Lines of Courage, is an exploration of life in Europe before and during World War 1. Nielsen follows five children from different countries: Felix, from Austria-Hungary, Elsa, from Germany, Juliette, from France, Kara, from Britain, and... Continue Reading →
Set in Romania, 1989, I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys follows 17-year-old Christian Florescu as he navigates life and protests under the brutal regime of Nicolas Ceausecu. Christian dreams of becoming a writer, but chances aren’t likely. His family is already marked because of his grandfather, an outspoken critic of the current regime and... Continue Reading →
Over vacation, I was delighted to find the third companion book to Raymie Nightingale and Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo. Beverly, Right Here starts right near the end of Louisiana’s Way Home and Beverly is mourning the loss of her dog, and that her friend, Louisiana, has moved away. Impulsively, she decides to run... Continue Reading →
I remembered loving Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo. However, I didn’t write a review the first time I read it. I reread it on Christmas Eve (20. I laughed. I got teary. I am continually amazed by DiCamillo’s ability to tell such a beautiful story with few words. I was excited to see DiCamillo wrote... Continue Reading →
Lisa Praytor is highly motivated. She desperately wants out of her small California town, and she has just the ticket. She is going to find that crazy kid who walked into a fountain in junior high school. She's going to befriend him, fix him and write an amazing essay about it, which will earn her... Continue Reading →
I really wanted to like The Shadow Children by Steven Schnur. But I did not. Set just after World War II in rural France, it could have been beautiful, sweet and touching. I think the author tried too hard and crossed the line into confusing, strange and a touch weird. It was sad too, strangely... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 