Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
I decided I needed to reread Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne after Masterpiece Theatre on PBS aired a mini-series based on the book. Well - loosely based on the book. The mini-series was fun to watch, but Phileas Fogg is nothing like the character in the book. In the book, Fogg... Continue Reading →
One very special harmonica changes the lives of three hurting children in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Friedrich in Germany is the first to find the harmonica. It brings him hope and courage as he fights for his music, his dream, and his father, under Hitler’s regime. Then Mike in Pennsylvania discovers the harmonica. It gives... Continue Reading →
Jack is a part of a small community of humans who survived a global apocalypse and are currently orbiting the earth as they wait for Earth’s restoration. Supplies are running low and the scientists on board think that Earth can support human life again. Except. Except dragons have moved in. And they’d poisoned the Earth’s... Continue Reading →
Judith goes by many different names. Aunt Cora calls her Jubliee. “You’re a celebration, my dear!” she says. Gideon, the ferry pilot, calls her Red, because of her red hair. The neighborhood boy, Travis, calls her No-Talk Girl, which she doesn’t really mind because she can tell he likes her. But Judith really wants a... Continue Reading →
Baseball is Jeremiah's life. He eats it, breathes it. So when the doctors tell him he can't play after a major operation, Jeremiah decides to shift his focus. He will coach baseball. His opportunity comes sooner than he expects. He and his dad move to a small town in Ohio with a great baseball tradition.... Continue Reading →
Northwind by Gary Paulsen starts like a fable, with “The Saga of the Sea Child.” It’s an interesting way to start a book - my one complaint is that the font it’s printed in is difficult to read. All caps with very little punctuation. Which I guess makes it feel more like the reader is... Continue Reading →
Georges is used to being teased about his name. The 's' is silent, for crying out loud. He does his best to ignore the teasing. But now home is in an upheaval. He and his parents have moved into a small apartment after his dad lost his job. He's still in the same school, so... Continue Reading →
Hollis has moved almost more times than she can count. Abandoned as a baby in Hollis Woods, whoever found her named her after the place she was found. She is so used to moving and not belonging, she keeps running. She runs away over and over again - even from the Regans, the one family... Continue Reading →
Miranda cannot figure out what is wrong with her best friend, Sal. He just quit talking to her. Then she started receiving strange notes. And met Mason, a boy with strange notions. As Miranda tries to figure out the source of the notes, and what's wrong with Sal, she realizes someone she loves is in... Continue Reading →
Maniac Mcgee is a legend in his town. His real name was Jeffery Lionel Magee - but when his parents died, his life changed. And with his new life came the new name - Maniac. Maniac is an interesting boy. He does what he wants. Lives where he wants. Talks with who he wants. It... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 