Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Pinmei's grandmother is the neighborhood storyteller and always has the perfect story for Pinmei and the villagers. But the emperor's soldiers break into Pinmei's house and kidnaps her grandmother. Fortunately, Grandmother was able to hid Pinmei in a large pot, so the soldiers didn't kidnap her. So Pinmei and her friend Yishan set out to... Continue Reading →
What fascinates me is how author Laura Marx Fitzgerald can write such compelling books and interest me in art at the same time. I thought Blue Balliett did a fairly good job merging art and plot in her books Chasing Vermeer, etc. Laura Marx Fitzgerald takes it to another level. I enjoyed Under the Egg,... Continue Reading →
At the end of Pax, Peter and his pet fox, Pax, were separated. Pax, Journey Home picks up a year later. Pax is living in the wild with his mate, Bristle, and her brother, Runt. Peter is living with Vola, lonely and unwilling to let anyone into his heart. He’s grieving his father’s death in... Continue Reading →
September and Ivan have a lot of responsibilities - more than most children their age. Their dad travels a lot, fishing on different boats around the Alaskan coast. That leaves September and Ivan at home, alone, to tend to their property. Their mother died on the bay in a huge storm that wrecked their boat.... Continue Reading →
The subtitle is what really made me pick up The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz - Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog. Gidwitz tells the story of these children through the recounting from many different people, all gathered at an inn in rural France during the Middle Ages. It's a fascinating tale... Continue Reading →
I was a bit late to the Enola Holmes craze. I first heard of her when Netflix came out with the movie. I read that the movie was based on a book series - and when I saw my absolute, most favorite narrator read the books… I was hooked. The Enola Holmes series starts with... Continue Reading →
Gustave loves living in Paris and hanging out with his best friends, his cousin Jean-Paul and their friend Marcel. They almost won the synagogue Boy Scout scavenger hunt! They couldn’t find a yellow feather, which caused them to lose to the other team by just a few points. But Gustave’s life is about to change.... Continue Reading →
Callie has found a stray dog and she is determined to figure out his owner. Her investigation causes her to collide with Wendell, a white boy from town. She reluctantly joins forces with Wendell to find out who owns the wandering yellow dog. As they investigate, they find themselves getting closer and closer to a... Continue Reading →
Jane finds a strange coin on the sidewalk and sticks it in her pocket. She and her siblings are bored stiff that summer - all their friends are away in the country while they’re stuck at home. So she wishes something exciting will happen. And surprisingly, something exciting does happen - her wish is granted!... Continue Reading →
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had may not be the longest title for a book, but it’s a pretty long one. I almost didn’t pick it up because of it - but I’m glad I did. Dit and Emma are unlikely best friends - especially in America’s rural south in 1917. Dit comes from... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 