Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Cedar thinks her mom might be crazy. They can’t afford a summer house on her mother’s teacher’s salary. But her mom feels a need to spend the summers in her home town, near her family. Cedar can understand that, since everyone desperately misses her Dad and brother Ben, who died in a car accident the... Continue Reading →
Karson and Korie King live in a small town - and have big aspirations. Karson plans to be a soldier, and Korie a lady. Unknown to them, their lives are interwoven with that of Talon, the son of the exiled prince. Elites, The island of Darkness by Kira M. Dewey is the first in a... Continue Reading →
I stayed up entirely too late to finish Echo Mountain another excellent story by Lauren Wolk, author of Wolf Hollow. Ellie has decided to make Echo Mountain home since her family lost everything in town during the Depression and had to learn how to make it in the wilderness. Her mother and older sister remember... Continue Reading →
You might think that a story about pioneering families in Alaska would be the most unusual part of Sweet Home Alaska, by Carole Estby Dagg. You’d be wrong. The most unusual part, at least in my opinion, are the names of her main characters - three sisters named after Greek muses. The twins are lucky... Continue Reading →
Jayson must do whatever it takes to get by after his mom dies and her boyfriend leaves. He plans to avoid the foster care system no matter what - and plans to keep playing basketball on his middle school team too. Jayson gets away with it too - until one day he’s discovered and is... Continue Reading →
Lou loves her house - the oldest one in town. It has all sorts of hiding places, history and the library is right across the street. She and her friends have created all sorts of memories in that house. But now, hiding in her favorite spot, she overhears her parents talking. The town council has... Continue Reading →
Overnight, Gerta finds her family divided. One night, her father and next older brother went to West Berlin to find supplies for her family. The next morning, she finds East German soldiers building a massive concrete wall, sealing her, her oldest brother and their mother inside East Berlin. Gerta tries to live her life, but... Continue Reading →
Carley Connors has learned to be tough. But now she’s in a situation she never thought she’d be in. After a painful betrayal by her fun-loving mother, Carley finds herself entering a strange house to live with a strange family. She’s in foster care. One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is a thoughtful,... Continue Reading →
Esther is determined to join her father in Cuba and work to get the rest of her family out of Poland. She is the oldest child, after all, even if she is a girl. Papa agrees, and Esther travels alone across Europe and the Atlantic to join him in Cuba. Her new home enchants Esther,... Continue Reading →
Gina Filomena has a new neighbor whose wide, welcoming smile catches her off-guard. She like his smile. She likes his imagination, which makes her look at her neighborhood differently. When Antonio shows up at her class, and offers his generous smile to everyone, Gina feels a bit put out. But the tenor of the whole... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 