The Arrow Over the Door by Joseph Bruchac is a fictionalized version of a true story. In 1777, the American Revolution was in full swing. People in America were choosing sides, and both sides disliked the Quakers because they resolutely chose no side. Samuel Russell feels the sting of his neighbor's displeasure, and struggles to... Continue Reading →
Caddie Woodlawn
If you like Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, you will love Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. I read and reread Wilder's Little House books as a child, but hadn't read Caddie Woodlawn until a few years ago. I wish I had read it as a girl! Caddie is really Caroline... Continue Reading →
Chicken Soup with Rice
Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak sounds like a book about food. But really, it's a book about months of the year. As it says on the front flap: Each month is gay, Each season nice, when eating chicken soup with rice. Sendak takes readers through each month of the year, espousing the wonders... Continue Reading →
Alligators All Around
You can find alphabet books galore at your local library or bookstore. Every popular cartoon character has one, every cultural icon for the under-five crowd. But hidden behind or between those books are gems worth reading again and again. Alligators All Around by Maurice Sendak is one of those jewels. Sendak works his way through... Continue Reading →
A Boy, A Dog and a Frog
A friend of mine reminded me of this little storybook series after she had read my review about Mercer Mayer, one of my favorite children's authors. Although I put it in the "Read-Aloud" category, these are picture books - literally. None of them have any words - which I love! Preschoolers can 'read' these books... Continue Reading →
Shakespeare’s Secret
When I first saw the cover for Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach (author of Masterpiece), I thought, "Oh, a Chasing Vermeer knock-off. I wonder how good it is?" I discovered it's very good. And in my opinion, much better than Chasing Vermeer. (I haven't reviewed Chasing Vermeer because while I like that the book, and... Continue Reading →
Masterpiece
Marvin is a bug - a very unusual bug. He not only enjoys swimming, but he's also become friends with a human boy. His parents are horrified, concerned about Marvin stepping outside their safe little world in the wall behind the Pompaday's sink. But Marvin, through his artwork, finds an unexpected friend in James -... Continue Reading →
Mercy Watson
Kate DiCamillo, author of Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, brings her skill and humor to beginning readers in her Mercy Watson books. My first introduction to Mercy Watson was by CD - when my daughter checked out the first two books on CD and we listened to them together in the car. ... Continue Reading →
Faith, Hope and Ivy June
Ivy June Mosely cannot believe it. Her teacher pulled her name from the coffee can, so she is going to be her school's ambassador to a private school all the way in Lexington! She'll go live with a family in Lexington for two weeks, and attend the school with a girl her own age, name... Continue Reading →
Mr. Men & Little Miss
As a child, some of my favorite books were Roger Hargreaves' Mr. Men and Little Miss books. He wrote dozens of them, under the titles like Mr. Tickle, Mr. Messy, Little Miss Sunshine, and Little Miss Chatterbox. Each story follows the adventures of it's main character as he or she goes throughout his or her... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 