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
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 →
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
My oldest daughter and I read this book for our mother-daughter book club at our local library. I remember reading it in junior high, but couldn't remember the story. I asked my husband if he had read it, and he said, "We only read classics in school." "This is a classic!" I told him. From... 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 →
Princess Academy
My seven-year-old daughter brought me the audio book of Princess Academy by Shannon Hale this week when we were in the library. I'd never heard of it, but she told me her friend had told her that it was a really good book. Her friend is in junior high, so I thought I'd better read... Continue Reading →
The House of Sixty Fathers
Meindert Dejong is probably one of the best children's literature authors you may have never heard of. I had never heard of him before I started using Sonlight's homeschooling curriculum. Over the past few years, we have read Wheel on the School, Shadrach, and Along Came a Dog in school, so when I saw this... 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 