Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
This weekend Christians all over the world celebrate Easter, arguably the holiest of Christian holidays. Children and adults alike will hear the story of Jesus and the week leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection. For families celebrating Easter, The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith is a beautiful retelling of the story. Beautiful, not only... Continue Reading →
Author Jon Scieszka has a gift for writing books that he would love to read. The more excellent news is that lots of children - especially boys - love to read his books too. For boys ready for short chapter books, I’ve found the pickings quite slim - especially if you’re not into the latest... Continue Reading →
As a child, I thought science was a dull and boring subject. I think it was because my childhood was missing fantastic science books - the kind that make kids sit up and take notice, and realize science is very interesting (though still not my favorite subject). Bones by Steve Jenkins is one of those... Continue Reading →
For preschoolers learning about other people groups and the alphabet, Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove is the perfect picture book marrying the two. Musgrove works her way through the alphabet, telling a bit about a different African tribe for each letter. The tribal illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon are as interesting... Continue Reading →
Most Americans, especially children, are familiar with the Disney version of the 101 Dalmatians story. But as with most movies based upon books, the book is so much better! Many of the characters - both human and dog - are the same in both the movie and the book. However, Perdita is not Pongo's wife,... Continue Reading →
Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. The outside world is just too dangerous. He has a schedule, an emergency plan and a first aid kit. But as a bee flies by (is it a killer bee?!), nothing goes according to plan. How will Scaredy Squirrel recover? Children will enjoy hearing parents read Scaredy Squirrel... Continue Reading →
Not very many people have braved riding Niagara Falls - what a fearful idea! But some have done it, and survived. Perhaps none as interesting as Annie Edson Taylor. In Queen of the Falls, Chris Van Allsburg tells Taylor's story - what gave her the idea to go over the falls, how she accomplished it,... Continue Reading →
Children and teens sometimes wrestle with the question of courage - what does it mean to be courageous? How can I have courage when I'm so scared? Hobie Hansen constantly asks himself those questions, especially since his dad is courageously fighting in World War II. He finds great comfort in his dog Duke, who accompanies... Continue Reading →
I will admit to being a novice at poetry, and in fact, not a huge fan of it. However, I am a fan of reading poetry aloud to children. I think one of the reasons I didn't like poetry was because I only encountered it in school, which wasn't very fun. My favorite poetry is... Continue Reading →
Patricia MacLachlan has done it again. "Done what?" I hear you asking. She's written a beautiful book about difficult relationships and finding your way through them. In The Truth of Me, Robbie's parents send him to his grandmother's house for the summer. They are touring with their woodwind quartet for the summer. Robbie is fine... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 