As a girl, I think I read Stories from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson at least a dozen times. I loved the stories of the author's precocious grandmother, who was constantly in trouble. I am amazed at the memories in this book - not only the memory of the author, whose grandmother told her the... Continue Reading →
The Courage of Sarah Noble
This year, my younger children and I are exploring American History, and enjoying some wonderful books on our journey. One of those is The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh. I remember my older two children enjoying this book when they read it two years ago, but this was the first time I had... Continue Reading →
Ballet Shoes
Several years ago, I was looking for a book that the children and I could listen to in the car as we drove around town. I picked up Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild a couple of times, and put it down a couple of times. My girls were taking ballet lessons then, and loved them,... Continue Reading →
Mara: Daughter of the Nile
This historical adventure, set in (can you guess?) ancient Egypt, has enough action to satisfy the boys, and enough romance to keep the girls' attention. Mara: Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw tells the story of Mara, a slave girl who ends up acting as a double spy in the court of the... Continue Reading →
The Story of the World
One of the great benefits of teaching my children at home is that I get an education as well. I'm learning so much more about history and science that I just didn't get in school - either because the curriculum didn't include the information, or because I didn't understand it. I've always enjoyed history, but... Continue Reading →
The Sign of the Beaver
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare is one of those books I don't think I'll ever tire of reading. The lessons about growing up, independence and the importance of family resonate loudly throughout the book - and the story keeps me turning the pages and my kids begging for "One more chapter!... Continue Reading →
Hill of Fire
In Hill of Fire by Thomas P. Lewis, we read about a volcano that suddenly formed out of a farmer's field. That's the story in one sentence - Lewis builds up beautifully to the moment, describing the farmer's mundane life of living in a small Mexican village, eating breakfast, and working in the fields, complaining... Continue Reading →
Daniel’s Duck
My children have read Daniel's Duck by Clyde Robert Bulla over and over again. They enjoy the story, and I enjoy the lesson it teaches. Daniel admires a famous carver's wood carvings, and decides to work on his own wood carving for the county fair. He works hard on it all winter, and proudly enters... Continue Reading →
Greg’s Microscope
Greg's Microscope by Milicent E. Selsam should carry a warning: "Causes intense desire for microscopes in children." This easy-to-read book explores the world found under a microscope slide from the perspective of a young boy. He looks at salt, sugar and a myriad of other things in his house through his new microscope. His interest... Continue Reading →
Wagon Wheels
I almost cried when my seven-year-old read Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner out loud to me. I had to sit down and reread the story myself, to make sure he had read it correctly. Wagon Wheels is the story of the Muldie family moving West from Kentucky to Kansas after the Civil War. The mother... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 