Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
It does seem odd putting "Lemony Snicket" and "Christmas Books" together in a title. Snicket is best known for his children's book series A Series of Unfortunate Events - books which I tried reading. However, I could not enjoy them because they were so depressing. So what inspired me to pick up Lemony Snicket's Christmas... Continue Reading →
Do you remember when Ramona Quimby (from author Beverly Cleary) suggested to her father that he turn on the "dawnzer light"? Her family laughed so hard because she misunderstood the words to the national anthem - "by the dawn's early light." Olive, the dog, has a similar problem. As she walks through town during the... Continue Reading →
Children may think that Americans have celebrated Thanksgiving since the very first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims celebrated with Squanto and his friends. While in one sense this is true, Thanksgiving wasn't established as a national holiday until much later in history. Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson explains the history of Thanksgiving as a holiday,... Continue Reading →
I had never heard of anyone having a rabbit as a house pet until my co-worker Cindy introduced me to her rabbits. They roamed her apartment, hiding under the couch and nibbling on cords she had forgotten to hide away under the area rug. Author & Illustrator Clare Turlay Newberry tells the story of her... Continue Reading →
In Eggs 1 2 3, author Janet Halfmann combines a counting book with a nature book. As she takes readers through the number 1 through 10, she also introduces them to different egg-laying animals - from birds to butterflies, and bugs to fish. Betsy Thompson's paper art is a perfect compliment to the counting. Parents... Continue Reading →
Retold from the tale found in Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene, Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges is a classic for the modern ear. Saint George wears hand-me-down armor to face his first foe - an unspeakably huge dragon. The princess Una rides next to him, leading the knight to her home, where the... Continue Reading →
Disclaimer: I do not like monsters. I do not like horror, vampires, gore or Halloween. Which is why I am surprised that I'm actually writing about a book with monsters and vampires. But know plenty of people love Halloween and all that accompanies the holiday, so when I found this book, I thought I'd include... Continue Reading →
My 12-year-old daughter went through my pile of picture books to read before I could, so I asked her which book was her favorite. "Duck at the Door, Mom," she told me. "It's so funny! The duck comes back, with his whole flock!" She was right. Duck at the Door by Jackie Urbanovic is funny. ... Continue Reading →
Almost every child has harbored the desire to run away from home. For those who haven't worked up the courage to do so, Jennifer Larue Huget's The Beginner's Guide to Running Away From Home will help. Or will it? The main character is running away from home. He has many reasons to do so, and... Continue Reading →
Over my toes goes the soft sea wash see the sea wash the soft sand slip see the sea slip the soft sand slide see the sea slide the soft sand slap see the sea slap the soft sand wash over my toes. Readers will find fun, rhyming poems, silly stories and funny illustrations in... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 