Twelve-year-old Rob Horton cannot believe his eyes. He has discovered a real, live tiger! It's in the woods behind the hotel, locked in a cage. That very same day, he meets Sistine Bailey, a tough northern girl who strides onto the school bus in a pink dress. No one wears pink dresses to school, even... Continue Reading →
The City of Ember
Lina Mayfleet is anxiously awaiting her assignment. She wants to be a Messenger, because she loves to run. Doon Harrow is equally anxious. He wants to do something to help his dying city - be an electrician so he can work on the generator which keeps the lights on, and the darkness away. Their work... Continue Reading →
Interrupting Chicken
Have you ever tried to read a story to your children, but they kept interrupting you with questions? You know exactly how Papa Chicken feels in David Ezra Stein's delightful picture book Interrupting Chicken. The little red chicken is so excited about the storyline of the book he's listening to that she interrupts Papa Chicken... Continue Reading →
Beauty
Robin McKinley does a masterful job of retelling the classic "Beauty and the Beast" fairytale in her classic book, Beauty. Beauty hates her nickname. She feel thin and awkward compared to her beautiful sisters. After her father's business failures forces them to move to the country, she and her sisters make the best of their... Continue Reading →
Queen of the Track
In 1948, London hosted the first Olympics held after World War II. Londoners, and the Olympic athletes, faced many problems. But none faced the challenges that Alice Coachman faced. Queen of the Track by Heather Lang tells Coachman's story - her journey from a poor black family in Georgia in the middle of segregation to... Continue Reading →
the hidden alphabet
Parents and children alike will enjoy the hidden alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Seeger created a beautiful lift-the-flap book with capital letters. Each flap has a window with a picture illustrating the letter. Then, the reader lifts the flap to reveal: the hidden letter of the alphabet. Seeger elegant paintings for each letter really capture... Continue Reading →
War Horse
In the spirit of Black Stallion, War Horse by Michael Morpurgo tells the story of a horse. Joey, a big red bay, narrates his story - from the time he was a colt sold at auction to the time he returns from World War I. He enjoys a special relationship with Albert, the son of... Continue Reading →
Tippy Lemmey
After reading Tippy Lemmey, my eight-year-old decided he wanted a chow. Tippy Lemmey is the only dog Leandra knows with two names, and Tippy Lemmey is a chow. Not just any chow, but a scary chow. This dog chases Leandra and her friends whenever they pass by his house. And his house is between them... Continue Reading →
Worst of Friends
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, founders of the United States of America, were best friends. They were quite opposite, in size, shape and temperament, but they really liked each other. They worked together to create the United States of America. They worked together to find a solution to paying the bills of their new country. ... Continue Reading →
Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major
Ethel, Kermit and Archie are under strict orders to be good. Their dad, President Teddy Roosevelt, is hosting the Russian ambassador that evening, trying to negotiate the end to the Russian-Japanese War. (Whatever THAT is, thinks Archie.) They decide to settle down to an interesting book, Treasure Island, when they find a mysterious paper inside... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 