Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
When we first meet George in Stoneheart, he is not a very likable guy. He's rather wimpy, trying to avoid conflict, mad at his mom, feeling guilty about his dad's death, in trouble with his teacher. Then, he breaks off the head of a stone dragon outside a London museum. And his world changes. The... Continue Reading →
Momo is a little girl who lives high in the mountains of Tibet. One day, at a festival at the Buddhist monastery, she spots a beautiful Lhasa terrier the head monk owns. That Lhasa terrier is the most beautiful dog she has ever seen and she wants one oh-so-badly. She prays to the Blessed One,... Continue Reading →
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 →
Jean Fritz grew up in China, the daughter of a couple who worked for the YMCA. She grew up during the time of conflict between the Nationalist Army and the Communists, right before World War II. Homesick is the story of her last year or so in China, as a 10-year-old girl. She hates her... Continue Reading →
The Twenty-One Balloons is the story of Professor William Waterman Sherman, who in his retirement, decides to go hot-air ballooning around the world. His adventure is quite mysterious, as the book opens with him being found in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in the midst of the most interesting wreckage. After a long journey,... Continue Reading →
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 →
There are few very good history story books for children, and Good Queen Bess is one of them. This is the story of Queen Elizabeth's life - from her father (notorious King Henry VIII who divorced or killed so many wives), her birth, her rise to queen and her amazing ability to navigate the political... Continue Reading →
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 →
I enjoyed Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski as a girl, but I love Strawberry Girl as an adult. Perhaps it is because we lived in Florida for about eight years, and reading this book as an adult helped me to understand my neighbors. Perhaps it is because as an adult I can appreciate the humor,... Continue Reading →
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 →
Cultivating Readers 